Veteran officials appointed as advisors to Cambodian Government




Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

King Norodom Sihamoni has appointed the former Chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC) Sik Bun Hok and two other veteran officials as advisors to the government with the rank equivalent to Deputy Prime Minister.

According to the Royal Decree dated December 28, 2023, Sik Bun Hok and Chin Bunsean, former Senior Ministers in Charge of Special Missions, and Khun Haing, former Senior Minister and former Minister of Cults and Religion, were appointed as advisors to the government with the title of Deputy Prime Minister.

The trio have had years of experience in government as well as in the legislative body.

Bun Hok assumed the position of chairman of the NEC on April 13, 2015 until June, 2021, when he resigned, citing poor health problems, and he had served as a senior lawmaker for many years.

Bun Sean was the Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions, and also Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

Haing served as Minister of the National Assembly and Senate Relations and Inspection, Minister of Cults and Religion and as a lawmaker. He also became vice-chairman of the National Authority for Land Dispute Resolution at the Council of Ministers in 2018.

Government spokesman Pen Bona applauded the appointments of Bun Hok, Bunsean and Haing as government advisors, saying that the trio are “very precious human resources” for Cambodia.

“Appointing these three senior officials as advisors to the Royal Government of Cambodia is most suitable for them,” Bona said yesterday.

“For those who have criticised the appointment as a waste of the state’s money do not understand their value as they are all rare human resources that are so important for our country. Therefore, the appointments are in appreciation of their contribution to society and the country,” he said.

“For example His Excelleny Sik Bun Hok is one of the nation’s top scholars,” he added.

In August last year, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a Royal Decree that appointed 104 advisors and 70 assistants to Mr Hun Manet, the new Prime Minister, with ranks ranging from Director-General to Secretary of State.

Of the 104 advisors, 53 are unpaid, and the 70 assistants to the new Prime Minister comprises 33 Secretaries of State, 19 Undersecretaries of State and 18 Directors-General. 



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