TV Presenter: Paper Hurt My Reputation

A young CTN personality ac­cus­ed Khmer-language newspaper Kampuchea Thmey Daily Thurs­­­day of damaging her reputation by printing a front-page story that ac­cus­ed her of unacceptable displays of public affection toward her boy­friend.

Khieu Sansana, 21, who presents mu­sic shows on CTN, said the au­thor of the article, which accused her of be­having in an “anarchic,” shame­less and European manner with her boyfriend, did not contact her for comment before the story was printed.

“Is it wrong that we love each other? I didn’t take somebody’s husband. He’s single,” Khieu San­sana said of her boyfriend.

“This affects my reputation. I ask that journalist to reconsider.”

Based on unnamed sources and at­tributed to an author identified as “Propey,” the article accused Khieu San­sana of behaving affectionately in public with her 27-year-old boy­friend.

A photo of Khieu Sansana standing harmlessly beside her boy­friend ac­companied the article.

“They should clearly understand and know traditional values,” the front-page article stated. “They must not act in an open and anarchical way like this.”

An anonymous source cited in the story said Khieu Sansana “should not show too much tenderness with a person she loves without marriage and in the middle of a crowded party.”

Khieu Navy, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, referred all questions to the article’s author.

The author, who would only give his name as Propey, said he wrote the article after being contacted by an old woman, who provided the pho­to of the young couple.

He added that the public wants to know about Khieu Sansana be­cause she is fa­mous.

Khieu Sansana’s father, Khieu Ko­la, a well-known journalist, said the ar­ticle brought shame on his pro­­fession.

“This brings shame on journalists,” he said.

Information Minister Khieu Kan­ha­rith said Khieu Sansana’s family could sue.

“She is just a child and they criticize her like this? It destroys the val­ues of other journalists.”

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