SRP lawmaker Son Chhay has requested that Prime Minister Hun Sen take immediate action in the case of Nhiek Kosal Vichea, director-general of the state-owned telecommunications firm Telecom Cambodia, who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly operating illegal gateways for international calls.
In a letter to Hun Sen dated Dec 25, Son Chhay cited a report by a Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications inspection team claiming that Nhiek Kosal Vichea had siphoned away more than $647,000 that should have gone to the government by routing calls through his gateways instead of Telecom Cambodia’s 001 international gateway. It also alleges that he used Telecom Cambodia money to finance these illegal networks.
Nhiek Kosal Vichea, who is still running Telecom Cambodia, was arrested May 30 over the networks, but was released the next day without being charged.
“To gain the people’s trust [that the government is] against corruption and the theft of the national budget, I request that Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, prime minister, take action on the issue to punish the perpetrator,” Son Chhay wrote.
Son Chhay said in his letter that he had requested that Posts and Telecommunications Minister So Khun send a report on Nhiek Kosal Vichea’s activities to the National Assembly, but learned recently that this report had been sent only to the Council of Ministers.
So Khun said Sunday that it was standard procedure to send such reports to the Council of Ministers for review before handing them to the Assembly.
“This is how the government works,” he said, adding that he wasn’t sure if the allegations his own ministry had made against Nhiek Kosal Vichea were correct.
“I don’t know if the allegations are true because it is being audited by the National Audit Authority,” he said.
Son Chhay said by telephone Sunday that the Assembly should have received So Khun’s report by now.
“It has been more than two months. Why has the report stayed so long at the Council of Ministers?” he asked.
Nhiek Kosal Vichea could not be reached for comment Sunday, but has previously denied any involvement in the illegal networks.
