National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen will have to decide whether Beehive Radio can carry Radio Free Asia and Voice of America broadcasts, Minister of Information Lu Laysreng told a parliamentary committee Tuesday.
Testifying before the Assembly’s Commission of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Information, Lu Laysreng told his fellow members of parliament he threatened to close Beehive Radio over its use of VOA and RFA broadcasts because the radio station did not get the government’s permission to carry the live feeds.
He characterized the public dispute as a simple paperwork mistake and promised he would “work out the problem” and let the nation’s leaders decide how to resolve the case.
“The Beehive station is not in the problem. They just didn’t ask permission from the government before making a contract with another radio station. Stations have to follow the rule of law,” Lu Laysreng said.
Last week, Lu Laysreng sent a letter to Beehive founder and president Mam Sonando threatening to shut down the station if it did not stop carrying live feeds from the two US-funded stations. Critics, including Commission chairwoman Princess Norodom Vacheara and Commission member Son Chhay, have called this an attempt to stifle opposition.
The government previously shut down Beehive for a nine- month period over its allegedly inflammatory coverage of the 1998 national elections.
Both Lu Laysreng and Ministry of Information Secretary of State Khieu Kanharith denied threatening the station, claiming their words were “misunderstood.”
“Many people think we’re closing these stations. We are not going to…we just want Beehive not to carry the live feeds from other stations,” Khieu Kanharith said.
“The United States is very pleased that the government will work out this technical issue,” US Embassy Charge d’Affairs Alex Arvizu said.