Cambodia Denies Government Restructuring Rumors, PM Emphasizes 'Strengthening'

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has firmly denied widespread speculation and discussions regarding the merger or dissolution of government ministries. The Prime Minister urged the public to cease such debates immediately, citing potential negative impacts on civil servants' morale and the risk of misinformation. Prime Minister Hun Manet's remarks followed observations of growing speculation among some intellectuals and social media users about the potential consolidation or abolition of government institutions with overlapping functions. In response, the Prime Minister explicitly stated, "There is absolutely no such thing," emphasizing that reforms are not undertaken hastily. He cited Vietnam as an example, noting that reforms require extensive, long-term study and impact analysis, and reiterated that Cambodia's current policy is to "strengthen each ministry." Prime Minister Hun Manet also pointed to examples in other countries where the Ministry of Commerce is integrated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as in Australia), or where the Ministry of Industry and Commerce operate together, highlighting the importance of organizational management tailored to each nation's context. However, he reaffirmed Cambodia's policy to maintain the current ministerial structure and enhance its functions. To prevent confusion arising from the spread of false information, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of timely disclosure. He called on the public to halt discussions about ministry mergers and to understand the policy of strengthening the existing institutional framework. Source: CPP Cambodia