Cambodian PM orders revocation of license of West-backed radio over slanderous broadcast

Phnom Penh, Feb 13 Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has ordered the Ministry of Information to revoke the license of the West-backed VOD (Voice of Democracy) radio for spreading "slanderous" information.

"To protect the government's honour, I decided to end this case, allowing the Ministry of Information to cancel the license of the VOD radio from now onwards and the radio station must stop broadcasting by 10 a.m. local time on February 13, 2023, onwards," the Prime Minister wrote on his official Facebook page on Sunday.

The Cambodian government accused the VOD radio for broadcasting an "intentionally slanderous" article pertinent to the country's recent relief aid to the earthquake-hit Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hun Sen urged the radio's foreign donors to take their funding back to their countries or to divert the money to help other countries.

Hun Sen said the article totally distorted the truth regarding the government's budget management system, saying only the Prime Minister has the authority to make a decision on humanitarian aid to a foreign country.

He had asked the radio to make a correction and apologise publicly, but the broadcaster ignored his request.

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