Outspoken Radio ABC owner “Aja A” has announced he will not apologise to journalists – whom his media outlet branded as thieves and extortionists – after the Ministry of Information announced it would call him to meet with the aggrieved reporters.

Ministry spokesman Ouk Kimseng yesterday said he had received a petition, signed by 20 media organisations, demanding the government intervene and stop comments they claimed damaged the reputation of their profession.

Commentators in a segment on Radio ABC 107.5 said Aja A, whose real name is Seng Bunveng, was “willing to apologise to the poor, the beggars, the hungry, but he will not apologise to some thieving journalists”.

Aja A could not be reached yesterday, but in a broadcast yesterday evening, he declared: “I am triumphing over the thief journalists in this country”.

Kimseng said that while a date had not yet been set for the reconciliation meeting, he urged Radio ABC not to generalise about journalists, but admitted some reporters do extort money illegally, especially in remote areas.

“We want him to state that individuals are committing bad acts; we do not want to hear him make a public collective insult, since it is very harsh,” he said.

Radio ABC came under fire last month after an ambulance it operated was found being used to transport juice, and impounded for being unlicensed. The incident resulted in the station branding officials “the mafia” and “monkeys”.