Interior Minister Sar Kheng has requested that Prime Minister Hun Sen approve the retirement of eight senior police generals from duty, though the group will remain as secretaries of state at the Interior Ministry.

According to Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak, the request was filed in April and comprises four-star generals Em Sam An, Teng Savong, Ouk Kemlek, Yu Sunlong, Chork Leng, Dol Koeurn, Suon Chheangly and Lu Ramin.

“The request is to retire them from their public positions as generals because they have reached the retirement age,” Sopheak said.

“However, this does not affect their positions as secretaries of state at the Ministry of Interior, because that is a political position.”

Reached yesterday, Suon Kim Sron, an assistant of Sam An, said his boss, born in 1947, had been working at the Interior Ministry since 1993.

“He knew that he was set to retire from his public position as a four star general and he is happy with his retirement,” Kim Sron said, adding that usually about 100 police officials retire each year.