The headquarters of the justice ministry in Phnom Penh. Justice ministry
The Ministry of Justice has created a new social media page to react to misinformation and provide clarification of any issues that may arise in the field of justice.
The “Quick Reaction to Justice Issues” Facebook page is a one-way channel run by a ministry working group. It will explain or clarify concerns which are raised in public discourse or by the media. The page will not accept complaints or responses from the public.
A November 7 ministry statement explained that the page will be managed by the committee which is responsible for promoting and accelerating the resolution of legal cases in the courts, The committee also monitors and addresses irregularities within the judicial system.
The page will provide up-to-date information and respond to media publications and public concerns related to the justice sector, and aims to contribute to the dissemination of accurate information and prevent the spread of false news, said the statement.
Seng Dina, justice ministry spokesperson, told The Post that the page will not accept public complaints or allegations of injustice, as the Ministry has a dedicated team and phone numbers to receive such complaints.
“This particular Facebook page is a platform where the ministry will share information with the public, responding to news reports and public comments on social media. As for receiving information and complaints from citizens, we have a phone number for the committee (099 444 181),” he said.
Pa Chanroeun, president of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, believed that the creation of the new page was a good step for conveying information to the public and speeding up the resolution of court cases and seeking justice for citizens.
However, he suggested that the term “reaction” used to explain public concerns or media publications should be replaced with “feedback” to align with principles of good governance.
Although he agrees that the new page is a positive initiative, Chanroeun said that if the ministry only had one Facebook page – the Ministry of Justice official page – to handle all public inquiries and responses, it could streamline the search for justice for all citizens.
Regarding the reception of requests or complaints from the public, he encouraged the ministry to be proactive.
“What I hear from the public is that many institutions provide phone numbers or contact information, but there is often a lack of response to their concerns or requests,” he said.
