PM Hun Sen Falsely Claims Sam Rainsy Expelled from Malaysia
After Cambodian prominent opposition leader Sam Rainsy arrived in Malaysia in late May, Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed his arch rival was expelled by Malaysian government from the country. The claim had been widely circulated by local media and Facebook users affiliating with the premier. However, after reviewing press release, media examination, and clarification from the opposition leader, we found the claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed on May 31 that the Malaysian government expelled his arch rival Sam Rainsy – the country’s prominent opposition leader living in exile abroad – from the country after he arrived in the country en route from Australia.
The PM’s claim was published by Fresh News – the media outlet which is known the government mouth piece -saying the opposition leader was expelled from Malaysia in 9 am on May 31. Read the full article here (archived).
Below is the capture of the circulation of Fresh News’s article on its social media channel with headline written “Breaking: Malaysian Prime Minister Expelled the Convicted Sam Rainsy and his entourage from His Country.”
Another Cambodia’s media outlet Khmer Times also published the same news piece giving attribution to PM Hun Sen. Read the full English article here (archived).
Below is the capture of the Khmer Times’s news piece circulated on its social media page in late May.
The news piece was recirculated by other media outlets referred to Khmer Times and Fresh News. Read the full articles here (archived) or here (archived) and another one here (archived).
After it was published by media outlets, the claim had been widely shared and commented on by Khmer-speaking social media users and those affiliating with the government and the ruling party.
Here are links of the claim circulated on social media in early this month 1 (archived), 2 (archived), and 3 (archived).
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo Cambodia began checking and debunking the claim by reviewing statement from Malaysian government, trustworthy of media outlets, and clarification from the opposition leader Sam Rainsy. Then, we found the facts below.
By reviewing clarification from the Malaysia, we found a press release from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The press release was shared on social media on June 01 by a social researcher Pa Chanreoun.
Below is the capture of the press release of the Malaysia’s foreign affair ministry.
Responding to Fact Crescendo Cambodia, Chanroeun said he got the press release from Malaysia’s foreign affair ministry’s official website.
Then, we found the press release published on May 31 regarding to Sam Rainsy’s arrival in Malaysiaa. The Malaysia’s foreign affairs ministry said in its press release that the Cambodian opposition leader left Malaysia in the morning of May 31, and that no public gathering was held in the country.
For the full detail of the press release of the Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visit here.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia | Archived Link
The Malaysia’s foreign affairs ministry also published its press release on its Twitter on May 31.
Wisma Putra’s Twitter | Archived Link
Was Sam Rainsy Expelled by Anwar-Led Government?
In the press release, no term “expel” was used or written, and the Malaysia’s foreign affairs ministry stated Sam Rainsy left the country on May 31 morning.
In his official Facebook page, the prominent politician Sam Rainsy and his entourage presented in South East Asian region and Australia from 20 until 31 May.
Below is the capture of Sam Rainsy’s Facebook post saying he and his entourage visited Indonesia and met the country’s politicians on May 20.
Sam Rainsy and his group continued their trip to Australia from 21 until 28 May and then arrived in Malaysia in May 29 enroute back to France.
Below is the video uploaded on his official Facebook page showing the opposition leader and his entourage left Australia on May 29 and arrived in Malaysia later that day.
We also found Sam Rainsy shared his flight ticket showing he was scheduled to arrive Malaysia in May 29 and leave the country’s capital city Kuala Lumpur in the morning of May 31 to travel back to France.
Below is the capture of the flight ticket that Sam Rainsy shared in his official Facebook page on June 01 after the claim happened.
Sam Rainsy also uploaded photos showing him and his wife visiting Kuala Lumpur and meeting Mr. Wong Chen who is one member of the Malaysian parliament and the current Chairman of Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad. See the capture below.
After the viral claim said the Cambodian opposition leader was expelled from Malaysia, Wong Chen clarified this on his official Facebook page on June 01.
The Malaysian parliament member said he and Sam Rainsy have had close friendship almost six years and that the Cambodian prominent opposition leader had a stopover in Malaysia one day en route to France.
Wong Chen added he greeted Sam Rainsy when he arrived in Malaysia at night of May 29. Then, Chen continued he greeted and coordinated a meeting with three other Malaysian parliament members who are interested in free and fair election, human rights, and ASEAN affairs on June 01.
Sam Rainsy and his entourage left Malaysia at 10:15am on May 31, flying back to Paris, according to Wong Chen’s clarification made on his Facebook page. See the capture below.
CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found the claim mentioned above is false. The Cambodian prominent opposition leader Sam Rainsy was not expelled from Malaysia. He and his entourage were scheduled to leave Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur in the morning of May 31 after they had a stopover in the country en route to Paris.
Title:PM Hun Sen Falsely Claims Sam Rainsy Expelled from Malaysia
Written By: Jay UdomResult: False
