PHNOM PENH: Royal Government Spokesperson, Phay Siphan, has stated that before Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the Ministry of Information to revoke Voice of Democracy’s (VOD) license, he spent about three hours trying to explain the mistaken quote published by VOD and also asked the institution to change the published article, however, the media outlet reportedly refused.

Speaking at a press conference on the progress made by Kampong Thom province on Tuesday morning, 14 February 2023, at the Office of the Council of Ministers, Spokesperson Phay Siphan said that the article published by VOD quoting him saying that Lt. Gen. Hun Manet had signed off on aid provision to Turkey on behalf of the Prime Minister was completely false and he insisted that he did not make this statement.

"I personally spent three hours, with gentleness and cooperation, asking for a correction to be made or for an apology, but they did not do it," he said.

Spokesperson Phay Siphan affirmed to an EAC News reporter that his request for correction was made on Saturday before the Prime Minister announced his decision on Sunday night.

VOD’s broadcasting license was officially revoked by the Ministry of Information on Monday morning after the news outlet failed to properly convey an apology to the Royal Government of Cambodia and Lt. Gen. Hun Manet.

Prime Minister Hun Sen wrote on his Facebook page on Monday morning that it was, at that point, too late to apologize, as he had already made his final decision the night before.

He further wrote in his post, "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."