Cambodian political observers are accusing the Anti-Corruption Unit, known as the ACU, of serving the interests and power of the family of Hun Sen and the ruling party leadership rather than acting as an independent watchdog.
Critics say the ACU has been structured to concentrate authority within a close circle, allowing it to monitor officials across state institutions, both inside and outside the ruling party, while remaining loyal to those in power.
Soeng Senkaruna, president of the Khmer Democracy Organization, wrote on his Facebook account that if the ACU were genuinely fulfilling its mandate to suppress corruption across ministries and institutions, Cambodia would not be facing the kind of systemic corruption repeatedly identified by international bodies.
He said the destruction and misuse of national resources are widespread across the country, yet the ACU has taken little visible action. This, he argued, has enabled corrupt officials to act with impunity through abuses of power, patronage networks, embezzlement of public funds, and the unregulated sale of national resources.
Soeng Senkaruna added that because the ACU operates in service of the ruling family, it has exercised authority beyond its legal limits over a wide range of institutions. He said even the courts have come under pressure from the agency.
He pointed in particular to court hearings involving senior figures from civil society organizations, saying ACU officials have entered courtrooms to film proceedings at will. According to him, such actions place significant pressure on judges and undermine their ability to rule independently and in accordance with the law.
The Anti-Corruption Unit was established by royal decree on August 22, 2006, when Hun Sen was prime minister. The body was placed under the authority of the Council of Ministers and initially comprised 11 members. Om Yentieng was appointed as president, with Mol Roub, Prom Sokha, and Chheuy Rorn serving as vice presidents.
At the time, Hang Chuon Naron, then secretary general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, along with five other officials, including Vong Pisen, then a deputy commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, were also appointed as members.
A decade later, in 2016, Om Yentieng’s son, Yentieng Puthirith, was appointed first vice president of the ACU, replacing Mol Roub, a position he continues to hold.
Another son, Yentieng Puthira, was appointed as an undersecretary of state at the ACU in 2016. In November 2020, he was transferred to serve as secretary of state at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, a role he still occupies.
Om Yentieng’s daughter, Yentieng Puthirasmey, was appointed as director of the ACU president’s cabinet in 2017. Since 2022, she has served as secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Observers note that Cambodia, after more than four decades under the control of Hun Sen, is increasingly viewed as moving toward a system of family-based rule, resembling entrenched authoritarian models.
