Hun Sen’s Facebook panel plan draws flak

Hun Sen’s Facebook panel plan draws flak

Thu, 11 February 2016

Niem Chheng

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School of Vice: It should be quite clear to all by now that whatever PM Hun Sen wants done will be done, whether his decision or order is beneficial, logical or harmful in its impact or consequence to the country or society. 

Bear in mind also that what he really wants carried out and implemented is NOT the same thing as what he merely publicly says or states he wants, such as the creation of the Anti-Corruption Unit, the pledge to the nation that he would behead himself if he could not stop the wholesale decimation of the forests, respecting the wishes of the electorate, working within the democratic framework of multi-party pluralism and the constitution ... etc.

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A series of special committees were formed this week by government ministries after a letter from Prime Minister Hun Sen requested they begin monitoring his Facebook page for complaints from citizens that might be in their purview.

Ministry committee members reached yesterday described their new task as doing just that, a function observers criticised as being unlikely to improve government efficiency.

Ou Virak, founder of the Future Forum, criticised the committees as superfluous. “If Hun Sen told ministries they had to listen to people’s problems over the phone, would those ministries create phone-monitoring committees? Ministries should have been concerned with people’s problems long ago, but they don’t care. What they’re doing now is [for show],” he said.

Kem Ley, a social analyst, said that the committees could have some benefit to society if members took the job seriously, but he doubted they would.

Ministries establishing dedicated Facebook committees include the Ministry of Cults and Religion, the Ministry of Land Management and the Ministry of Justice, among others.