PHNOM PENH: Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Secretary-General of the Disability Action Council, Em Chan Makara, has announced his support of the decision made by the Head of the Royal Government, Prime Minister Hun Sen, to revoke the broadcasting license and shutdown the media outlet, Voice of Democracy (VOD).

Secretary of State Em Chan Makara said that this decision was right to protect the honor of the government and support the dissemination of factual information in Cambodia.

He said that the revocation of this online news media license also sends a message to other media in Cambodia to be responsible for their news broadcast. He added that he does not think the revocation of VOD’s license affects freedom of the press in the country.

VOD’s media license was officially revoked by the Ministry of Information on Monday morning, 13 February 2023, after the media outlet failed to properly apologize to the Royal Government of Cambodia and Lt. Gen. Hun Manet after publishing an article that erroneously stated that Lt. Gen. Hun Manet had signed off on aid provision to Turkey following a massive earthquake, on behalf of his father.

Prime Minister Hun Sen made a post on his official Facebook page on Monday morning saying that it was too late to apologize as he had already made his decision on Sunday night.

The Prime Minister wrote, "Does is it really hurt after getting slapped in the face? Before you thought you were right, you thought a lot about honor, and did not dare to give a word of apology, but after getting slapped you forgot all your honor and apologized even past midnight. I, Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, have not changed my decision to shut down VOD."