The National Police Commis-sariat is investigating a claim by a Pursat province police official that he was removed from his job after refusing an order to illegally issue Cambodian identity cards to Vietnamese citizens, officials said.
SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann said Monday that he had received a complaint from police Major Chhum Vanarith claiming that he had been transferred by Pursat provincial police chief Hen Vuthea over the ID card dispute.
Yim Sovann, who is chairman of the Assembly’s commission on the interior, investigations and anti-corruption, said he passed the complaint to the Interior Ministry on Sept 21, but had not yet received a response.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said Tuesday that his ministry had seen the complaint and forwarded it to the National Police Commissariat, which is investigating.
“We don’t know the truth yet because we have not got an investigation report yet,” he said.
Chhum Vanarith alleged in his Aug 29 complaint to the Assembly that Hen Vuthea had ordered him to issue ID cards to 44 Vietnamese nationals, or face a demotion.
When he refused to issue the cards, he alleges that Hen Vuthea had him transferred from his position as statistics bureau chief to the public relations office Aug 27.
“I was removed because I fought against the issuance of ID cards for the Vietnamese immigrants,” Chhum Vanarith said by telephone Monday.
Hen Vuthea denied Chhum Vanarith’s accusations on Wednesday.
“Chhum Vanarith was in charge of the work. If any bribe was taken, Chhum Vanarith should be the person,” Hen Vuthea said.
“I have never ordered any officials to issue ID cards for Vietnamese immigrants. I was slandered. Let’s wait for the ministry to take action,” he said.
Hen Vuthea added that Chhum Vanarith was transferred because people complained about him.
