Khmer National United Party president Nhek Bun Chhay (right). Heng Chivoan
The government has assigned the National Authority for Land Dispute Resolution (NALDR) to assess and solve a conflict between a company and the Khmer National United Party president Nhek Bun Chhay, who is also a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations.
Council of Ministers secretary of state Hing Thoraksy signed a letter on June 25 which tasked NALDR chairman Chea Sophara – the Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction – with settling the matter.
Bun Chhay is being sued for alleged irregularities in the sale of three 20ha plots owned by Ly Saykheang’s ASK & KH Group in O’Chrov district’s Poipet and O’Beichoan communes in Banteay Meanchey province.
“Regarding the irregularities in the sale of three plots of land in Banteay Meanchey province, the president of the Khmer Rise Party [Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung] and the government have agreed to leave the national authority to resolve the dispute,” read the letter, which was obtained by The Post on Monday.
The letter was also copied to the Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet and the Banteay Meanchey provincial authority.
Sophara declined to comment on the issue as he was in a meeting.
Khmer Rise Party president Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung, who is also a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations, said the party had received a complaint from ASK & KH Group on May 2.
It subsequently conducted an investigation and filed a report with the secretariat of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations before submitting it to Hun Sen for approval.
“The company sued Bun Chhay for stealing state land. The company had legal documentation proving that the land belongs to it, but Bun Chhay had taken the land to give to another oknha without respect for the company’s rights."
“We will continue to monitor the NALDR’s progress. We want to achieve justice for both sides and will let the authority examine the legal documentation,” Vathana Sabung said.
Neither Bun Chhay nor ASK & KH Group could be reached for comment.
Banteay Meanchey provincial governor Oum Reatrey said on Tuesday that the dispute is between private entities and has nothing to do with the public.
“There seems to have been a breach of contract, but we don’t know which party breached it,” Reatrey said.
