PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Manet has reiterated that he will conduct "surgery without exception" on officials involved in any crime, particularly online scams, while calling on citizens to join hand in "expelling all evil acts" from Cambodia.
Manet delivered his remarks as he addressed the Ministry of Interior's annual meeting to summarise the work of 2025 and set directions for 2026 on Thursday (Feb 5), with his reference to surgery referring to the removal of any individual officials who are involved in any crimes.
A ministry press noted that Manet emphasised the necessity of a strict crackdown on all challenging societal crimes, including technology-based scams, traffic violations, drugs, juvenile delinquency and human trafficking.
"We must be united in our commitment to clean our house by expelling all evil acts from the country completely, in order to bring back good things for our nation and people,” the ministry quoted Manet as saying.
“In this regard, the Head of the Royal Government called on citizens from all walks of life to participate in and support this mission, while warning that the legacy 'surgical approach' would be applied without exception against officials involved in social crimes, especially technology-based scams,” the ministry said.
Criminal offenses of all types in decreased by 17 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, with crackdown operations achieving a 96 per cent success rate, particularly regarding illegal drugs, human trafficking, labour trafficking, sexual exploitation, technology-based scams, illegal gambling and juvenile delinquency, according to the ministry.
It added that the institution is investigating and cracking down on technology-based scams by arresting ringleaders and deporting foreign perpetrators to their countries of origin, through active and highly responsible cooperation with the authorities of relevant countries. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
