The National Assembly has called Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana—who came under fire in April for offshore holdings revealed in the “Panama Papers”—for questioning during a plenary session on Thursday, despite a boycott by the opposition CNRP, which requested the appearance.
The CNRP announced an indefinite boycott of the National Assembly last month amid a slew of legal action against its lawmakers.
Son Chhay, the party’s chief whip, who announced plans to summon Mr. Vong Vathana in April, said the ruling CPP’s decision to press ahead with the questioning was frustrating.
“We’ve seen lawmakers’ immunity violated—with several arrests in violation of their immunity—and presently things are unstable. Why can’t we ask for a delay?” he said.
CPP lawmaker Chheang Vun said the date had already been decided and that ruling party lawmakers could ask the questions already submitted by the opposition.
“Whether they come is up to them,” Mr. Vun said of the CNRP lawmakers.
“If I want to stay home and just get my salary…I can boycott it, too.”
Mr. Vong Vathana has denied any connection to the British Virgin Islands-based company whose shareholders were revealed in a trove of leaked documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
