Prime Minister Hun Sen has established a working group to officially respond to criticism of the government, according to a copy of a document signed by Hun Sen and obtained Tuesday.
The working group has a duty “to study, research, prepare documents and write articles…to respond to those who raise issues against the government’s leadership policy,” according to the document, dated June 2.
Members of the group include Prum Sokha, Interior Ministry secretary of state, Sean Visoth, acting director of the Council of Ministers’ anti-corruption unit, Svay Sitha, Council of Ministers undersecretary of state, and Mam Bun Heng, secretary of state at the Health Ministry.
The group was established so that “respective experts can talk about government policy which provides for accuracy,” Mam Bun Heng said Tuesday.
Chea Vannath of the Center for Social Development said she hoped the group might provide an alternative to the lawsuits that government officials file against critics.
Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay, however, dubbed the group, “a bad habit from the old regime.”
The government should have a committee responding to the “problems” facing the country, rather than to “criticism” of the government, he said.
