Former Telecom Cambodia director-general Lao Saroeun, who stepped down from the state-owned company amid accusations of mismanagement and corruption, was on Monday appointed to a new position at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
The ministry last week revealed that Telecom Cambodia—which has been put forward as a candidate for listing on the Cambodian Securities Exchange—had made losses of more than $40 million across Mr. Saroeun’s five-year tenure.
He left the post in February, officially on sick leave, after more than 300 employees went on strike and demanded his removal and accusing him of graft.
La Narath, a secretary of state at the Telecommunications Ministry, said that Kim Vikra, who had been standing in for Mr. Saroeun, had been given the role permanently on Monday.
“Now, the ministry has officially selected Mr. Vikra, who was deputy director-general, to be director-general,” Mr. Narath said. “Mr. Saroeun was selected as an undersecretary of state at the ministry.”
Mr. Narath declined to comment on an ongoing Anti-Corruption Unit investigation at Telecom Cambodia. Tim Channarith, a section manager at Telecom Cambodia and one of the employees who walked out in protest at Mr. Saroeun’s leadership, said he welcomed the new boss. “We hope that he will be a good leader,” he said. “But we will have to wait to see how he leads because it’s a new position.”
