NALDR assigned to solve land dispute with KNUP chief
THE government has assigned the National Authorit y for Land Dispute Resolution (NALDR) to assess and solve a conflict bet ween a company and the Khmer Nationa l United Part y president Nhek Bun Chhay, who is also a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations.
Council of Ministers secretar y of state Hing Thoraksy signed a letter on June 25 which tasked NALDR chairman Chea Sophara – t he Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction – wit h sett ling t he matter.
Bun Chhay is being sued for alleged irregularities in the sale of three 20ha plots owned by Ly Saykheang’s ASK & KH Group in O’Chrov district’s Poipet and O’Beichoan communes in Banteay Meanchey province.
“Regarding the irregularities in the sale of three plots of land in Banteay Meanchey province, the president of the Khmer Rise Party [Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung] and the government have agreed to leave the national authority to resolve the dispute,” read the letter, which was obtained by The Post on Monday.
The letter was also copied to the Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet and the Banteay Meanchey provincial authority.
Sophara declined to comment on the issue as he was in a meeting.
Khmer Rise Party president Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung, who is also a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations, said the party had received a complaint from ASK & KH Group on May 2.
It subsequently conducted an investigation and filed a report with t he secreta riat of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations before submitting it to Hun Sen for approval.
“The company sued Bun Chhay for stea ling state land. The company had lega l documentation prov ing t hat t he land belongs to it, but Bun Chhay had taken t he land to give to another oknha without respect for t he company’s rights.
“We will continue to monitor the NALDR’s progress. We want to achieve justice for both sides and will let the authority examine the legal documentation,” Vathana Sabung said.
Neither Bun Chhay nor ASK & KH Group could be reached for comment.
Banteay Meanchey provincial governor Oum Reatrey said on Tuesday that the dispute is between private entities and has nothing to do with the public.
“There seems to have been a breach of contract, but we don’t know which party breached it,” Reatrey said.