Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has set up an inter-ministerial working group to examine the granting of honorific titles to the wealthy, after a trickle of scandals involving the wealthy and well-connected.
Since the early 1990s, the title oknha, which is roughly equivalent to the English “lord,” has been granted by royal decree to civilians who contribute a significant amount of money (currently $500,000) to Cambodia’s government.
On May 17, Hun Sen ordered the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group to manage issues related to the oknha title and to review the legal process by which the title is granted and withdrawn.
