Apsara Radio Director Sok Ey San, who also heads the National Radio Association, denied Monday that his radio station is “biased” toward the CPP—an accusation levied by the National Election Committee.
At a Thursday meeting at NEC headquarters, NEC Deputy Secretary-General Sokolac Tipor announced that 13 television and radio stations were “biased” toward certain political parties and advised them to make their programming broader and more neutral.
“During the election campaign, NEC has observed that some of the programs are biased toward the political parties that they love. It is against the principle of neutrality,” Sokolac Tipor said by telephone Monday.
Apsara, TV3, CTN, and Bayon television stations, as well as six radio stations, were accused of being biased toward Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling CPP.
US-backed Radio Free Asia and Voice of America were broadcasting too much of the opposition parties and showing a bias against the CPP, while 90 FM was found to favor the League for Democratic Party, Sokolac Tipor said.
“We have requested them to change their programming…. The NEC will continue to urge them during the election campaign to broadcast unbiased information. If they continue, the NEC will inform them a second time. If the programs still continue, the NEC will suspend them,” he said.
Sok Ey San, who attended the NEC meeting, claimed Monday that Apsara’s programming was neutral, and that he would not change his programming despite the NEC’s request.
“People have accused [Apsara] of being a pro-government station. I only say the truth. When the government builds bridges, I say it. In a democratic world, people express different ideas,” Sok Ey San said.
However, on his Monday morning radio show, which was broadcast simultaneously on 39 other radio stations, Sok Ey San seemed far from neutral.
“Sam Rainsy’s leadership is full of cheating. If he leads the country, he cheats the people and foreigners,” Sok Ey San said, claiming that SRP Secretary-General Eng Chhay Eang’s alleged gambling addiction would drive the country into the ground.
“Eng Chhay Eang will commit corruption and cause the country to collapse,” he said. “The CPP has a good policy and has built many schools. People across the country have benefited from development to improve their living standard. Other political parties will lead to decline. Only the CPP sees the real vision,” Sok Ey San added.
SRP Deputy Secretary-General Mu Sochua said the NEC must also hold stations accountable if they do not make the shift in programming.
“The NEC is afraid of the CPP. That’s why they have allowed the CPP to dominate the media,” she said.
Sokolac Tipor said Monday he would be issuing a second warning to the stations that took part in the 40-station simultaneous broadcast of Sok Ey San’s program.
Run Meatra, director of 90 FM, denied that his station is biased toward the small League for Democratic Party but said they do sell airtime to LDP President Khem Veasna for him to promote his NGO work.
Khem Veasna said that he has bought a daily hour of airtime for the past two years and that he has used his program to educate people about democracy and social equality.
“I have not appealed to voters to vote for my party,” he said.
CPP Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said it is necessary to allow media outlets, most of which are privately owned, to defend allegations against the CPP.
“There are many allegations from other political parties. If the CPP does not respond, it is not right. This is self-defense,” the minister said, adding that opposition parties dominate the media through VOA and RFA.
In unrelated election news, Battambang provincial SRP deputy director Kean Saron filed a complaint Monday against Chhuom Vy, the CPP chief in Sangek district’s O’Dambang commune.
Kean Saron accused Chhuom Vy of surrounding Svay pagoda Monday while the SRP was holding a rally on the premises. Kean Saron said a CPP convoy sealed off an entrance to the pagoda, which prevented people from attending, and that their noise was disruptive.
“We were disturbed by the noise and the traffic jam,” Kean Saron said.
O’Dambang Commune Election Committee President Chea Munthy said Sunday that CEC officials had tried to intervene and clear away CPP members from the pagoda, but that ruling party supporters ignored the authorities.
“The CPP surrounded the SRP rally. It might be wrong. The CPP abused the SRP. I tried to prevent it,” Chea Munthy said, adding that he has received the complaint, but hasn’t started working on the case.
Chhuom Vy said the CPP was merely leading its own rally on some streets outside the pagoda and did not intentionally interrupt the SRP gathering.
“We marched on some streets. Sam Rainsy’s rally was inside the pagoda,” he said.
