The king has granted an oknha title to Piphup Deimeas Group director Hy Kimhong, who is allegedly facing complaints from hundreds of people in Kampot over a land investment.

In a royal decree dated October 21, 2022 — which was released in book 84 of the Royal Gazette in May — King Norodom Sihamoni granted an oknha title to Hy Kimhong based on a request from Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The Commerce Ministry lists Hy Kimhong, with an address in Pur Senchey, as director of the Piphup Deimeas Group as well as AMZ Microfinance Institution and five other companies.

In June this year, 160 people in Kampot gathered at the provincial police headquarters to submit a complaint against Hy Kimhong, accusing him of failing to pay them dividends for a land investment. A police official said the business was based in Kampong Speu, according to CNC.

The provincial police summoned him and another businessman for questioning, saying it had received complaints from 323 people over more than $6 million. The complainants said they had borrowed money to buy land after being promised monthly payouts, but alleged the payments had stopped after a few months. Piphup Deimeas in turn said it would sue the provincial police chief for defamation and demanded that he apologize, according to Newsroom Cambodia.