Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned that non-governmental organisations which fail to submit their financial statements, as required by law, would face being shut down.

He reiterated that the government will not back down on its requirement for NGOs to submit regular financial statements to the government. He also noted that he had discussed this section of the Kingdom’s NGO laws with Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, and it will not be revised.

Hun Sen made the statement while meeting with workers Kandal province’s in Ponhea Leu district on June 3.

“I send this message to all friends and NGOs to let you know that the government will not back down. If you fail to submit your financial statements, we could shut you down. This section of the law also exists in other countries. Why can they apply this law, and we cannot?” he asked.

He also warned any Cambodian who accepted foreign funds to be wary of “bowing down to foreign money to kill Cambodians”.

He said the government will review the source of all NGOs funding, to ensure that they have not “been sent to carry out terrorism in Cambodia”.

“If money is being funnelled into the Kingdom to fund activities that threaten the country, we will know. The current geopolitical situation is complicated and requires our mindfulness,” he added.

The Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO) was passed in 2015, and consists of 9 chapters and 39 articles. Article 25 requires NGOs to submit copies of their annual activities and financial reports to the Ministry of Interior by no later than the end of February of the following year.