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Villagers Petition for Prek Takong Village Chief’s Dismissal After He Failed to Resolve Drugs, Online Gambling Problems

Prek Takong 1 villagers submit a petition to the Ministry of Interior to dismiss the village chief on January 16, 2024. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)
Prek Takong 1 villagers submit a petition to the Ministry of Interior to dismiss the village chief on January 16, 2024. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)

Approximately 50 residents of Prek Takong 1 village in Phnom Penh have petitioned the Ministry of Interior to terminate Prek Takong village chief’s tenure due to his inability to address online gambling issues and ensure security for the residents.

Around 2 p.m on January 16, 2025, residents gathered in front of the ministry to submit the petition to the minister. The villagers said the village chief’s failure to shut down online gambling in the village has led to theft and burglary causing people to lose property, money and other valuable items.

They added that the village chief did not pay attention to their problems and hardship as he failed to intervene to resolve issues when the residents approached him for help.

Sao Sakhon, a resident of Prek Takong1 village, who joined the gathering said the village chief was incapable of solving problems such as drugs, gangsterism, theft and online gambling. When residents encounter these problems and report them, there is no solution.

“When we reported the problem to him, he asked us to complain to the higher-ups. He is incompetent and we want to ask the ministry to change him immediately. I want a good village chief who understands the people’s suffering and solves problems immediately,” Sakhon said. 

She explained that a village chief is like a parent to the people, so the inaction of local authorities affects their lives, safety, and livelihoods. 

Echoing Sakhon, Un Nary, another resident, said they lived in fear due to lack of security as well as drug problems, which should be tackled by the village head. Although they reported them, there was still no action. He said the village head’s actions were completely different from the policy of safe villages and communes which the government had put in place.

“The village chief has not taken any action. We have also filed a complaint with the commune authorities, but to no avail. We are scared and worried about our children’s future. If drugs continue to exist, it will affect our children,” Nary said. 

Prek Takong 1 villagers submit a petition to the Ministry of Interior to dismiss the village chief on January 16, 2024. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)

Another villager, Chuch Pov, 57, said thieves stole his tools to repair motorcycles as well as other materials, which amounted to a loss of nearly $1,000. When he reported it to the village chief, no one came to check the situation or provide security, making it difficult for him to make a good living.

Pov hopes that after the ministry looks at the petition, they will solve their issues by appointing a capable and proactive official who will restore the people’s faith in the authorities.

“I have been a motorcycle mechanic for a long time but I have not been able to do anything since the robbery. I complained to the police and village head but no one helped me seek justice,” Pov said. 

Long Hoen, the village chief of Prek Takong1, declined to comment, saying that he was busy when asked about the citizens petitioning the government to cease his post.

Ministry officials who accepted the petition did not mention when the matter would be resolved.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak and Phnom Penh Police spokesperson Som Vicheka could not be reached for comment via telephone or social messaging app, Telegram. 

In 2010, the government launched the safe village and commune policy, which focused on five main principles. It said villages and communes should be free from theft and robbery; there should be no production, distribution, and use of drugs; no prostitution, trafficking of women and children, and domestic violence; no gangs; and no gambling of any kind, use of illegal weapons, or commission of crimes.

Social analyst Meas Nee told CamboJA News that according to the principles of sub-national democracy as stipulated in the Commune Council Law, the citizens’ demands are legitimate on the basis that lower-level authorities have not tried their best to solve the problems. Citizens can request intervention by submitting a petition to higher-level authorities. What is important is for the government to find solutions and coordinate responses to citizens transparently and with clear investigation.

Lower level officials’ failure to pay attention to the safety policy in villages, communes and sanctuaries is going against the government’s objectives, he said, adding that if the “rotten meat” is removed and good leaders are put in, the honor will go to the government.

“The government should either punish them or remove them and organize a new one to respond to what the citizens want and implement legal measures effectively,” Nee said. 

On July 30, 2024, Interior Minister Sar Sokha said the fight against drugs is a priority for the government, which must result in the eradication of drugs in Cambodia. 

It was followed by a ministerial order on December 4 for online gambling advertisements to stop after several social media and media outlets were seen to have images, videos and content of illegal gambling and promoted them to entice people to gamble onsite or online.

On March 10, 2024, specialized teams cracked down on more than 3,000 illegal gambling sites in Cambodia and arrested over 10,000 foreigners and locals for questioning and further legal procedures.

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