Phnom penh: The Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC) and the Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA) have urged balanced and complete reporting on documentary videos concerning past cases involving customers of banking and financial institutions.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, in a joint statement issued on Aug. 12, the associations said they respected the role of civil society organisations and the media in raising public awareness and safeguarding citizens' legitimate interests. However, they noted that recently published videos by LICADHO and certain media outlets presented only a partial picture of the cases and did not fully reflect subsequent measures, developments, and their current status.

The associations warned that reporting without full context could cause public confusion or misunderstanding and potentially affect confidence in Cambodia's banking and financial sector. They called for reporting to be based on verified information and to include relevant context, timing, subsequent developments, measures taken, and the latest status of each case.

According to information confirmed by the institutions concerned, the cases highlighted in the videos had been addressed through facilitation, review, follow-up, and resolution under applicable procedures, with agreement between customers and the respective institutions. ABC and CMA also highlighted a High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on 'Microfinance in Cambodia', which identified 22 priority actions, of which 14 have been completed and eight remain under implementation.

The associations reaffirmed their commitment to customer protection, complaint resolution, responsible financial services, and constructive dialogue with stakeholders.