King Norodom Sihamoni has promoted Kong Sophorn from deputy to governor of Kandal province following a request from Prime Minister Hun Sen as current governor Mao Phirun prepares to retire after 40 years.
Phirun said on Wednesday that he would be retiring in March after working as a civil servant for 40 years, the last five as Kandal governor. He said a ceremony to hand over duties to Sophorn will take place next week.
When he was the governor, he said, he always tried to implement government policies to serve the people, especially by developing all sectors in the province.
“I began working as the governor in December 2014. As the governor, I tried to implement the policies and programmes of the government.
“We tried to serve the interest of the people through security, public safety, providing public services and developing infrastructure, so that the people’s standard of living improved in addition to the prosperity of all sectors,” he said.
He said while he had chalked up many achievements, improving public services and boosting local development ranked high on his list.
Phirun confirmed that his role as governor ended in accordance with the law, but his position as the provincial chief of the Cambodian People’s Party remains.
His working career, Phirun said, began with serving in the army from 1979 to 1989. From 1989 to 2005 he was Kampong Cham provincial governor, and between 2005 and 2009, he worked as Kandal provincial deputy governor and then as Kandal provincial council chief until late 2014, when he was appointed provincial governor.
Sophorn said he had been the governor of Khsach Kandal and Lveal Em districts before he was appointed the provincial deputy governor about two years ago.
“I will serve the people and the government to better implement government reforms,” he said.
