Cambodia Urges CNA to Correct Report on Missing Singaporean Woman

Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has formally called on Singapore-based news outlet CNA to issue a public correction. The demand follows an official investigation that cleared the country of human trafficking claims involving a Singaporean woman. In an Aug 3 statement, ministry spokesperson Tep Asnarith argued that the broadcaster published a one-sided report that unfairly damaged the Kingdom’s reputation. According to The Straits Times, the ministry stated that the coverage created serious international misunderstandings and undermined national efforts to combat transnational online scam operations.

Ministry Demands Public Correction Over Trafficking Coverage

The Cambodian ministry acknowledged that the news organisation updated its article after official findings were released, but maintained that quietly amending the report was insufficient. Officials insisted that the media organisation must demonstrate professional responsibility by issuing a separate public correction with the same prominence as the original report. The statement emphasized that reporting errors cannot be erased through silent edits.

Family Appeal and Initial Disappearance

The controversy stems from an incident beginning on July 28, when 20-year-old Nanyang Polytechnic student Siti Aishah Siregar left her home telling her mother she was going to school, according to The Times of India. Concerns escalated when relatives arrived at the campus around 5pm to pick her up and found her mobile phone unreachable and her WhatsApp account deactivated. After returning home, the family discovered her passport was missing and uncovered a flight itinerary bound for Phnom Penh in her email.

Cambodia Urges CNA to Correct Report on Missing Singaporean Woman — Photo: AsiaOne

The family lodged a police report in Singapore while her father, Sahat Siregar, issued an emotional appeal on Facebook on July 30, begging authorities in Singapore and Cambodia for immediate assistance. The family’s fears were heightened because Cambodia has been linked to scam compounds and online fraud operations that have drawn international scrutiny. Syafiq Siregar, the eldest brother, noted that large transactions made to an unfamiliar person compounded their panic, prompting relatives to fear the worst.

Investigation Locates Woman Safe in Phnom Penh

Following appeals and reports, a joint operation involving the Cambodian National Police, the General Department of Immigration, and Phnom Penh Municipal Police located Aishah staying in a condominium building in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district. Cambodian authorities confirmed she was safe and not a victim of human trafficking or ill-treatment.

According to AsiaOne, ministry deputy spokesperson Toch Sokak stated that Aishah told police investigators she decided to cut off contact and travel to Cambodia due to family problems, leaving a letter behind before departing. In a police video, Aishah explained that living conditions were stressful for her in Singapore, leading her to seek her own path and work as an English teacher.

Return to Singapore and Principles of Responsible Journalism

Aishah has since returned safely to Singapore. Her brother Syafiq issued a public apology on behalf of the family, explaining that their intentions were solely to find her and that desperation drove their actions amidst missing updates and unfamiliar financial transactions.

Missing Singaporean woman found in Cambodia says she was not forced into scam activities

In response to the sequence of events, Cambodia’s Ministry of Information reiterated four principles of responsible journalism: rigorous fact-checking before publication, balanced reporting including official sources from all relevant parties, professional accountability when errors occur, and respect for individual privacy. The ministry criticized the escalation of a private family matter into an international news story lacking adequate factual basis.