Singer’s condition improving, crime at large

So far, crimes remain at large and are not identified clearly following shooting twice at popular singer last month in the early morning in capital, while she was parking her car and walking toward his English class. Now her health condition is improving.

Pov Panhapich, 23, popular singer and television host, was shot on February 23, 2007 in the heart of Phnom Penh two bullets at close range in the neck and hip. The gunmen, aged mid 20s, shot her from the back of a motorcycle from a distance of around one meter while she had parked her car and was walking to the ELT School near Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy along Norodom Boulevard.

Immediately, she was sent to Calmette Hospital, but it was because of serious injury. And then she was transferred quickly by ambulance to Cha Roy hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Presently, her condition is improving and staying in bed. Her legs and hands can move but are weak. And she can speak a little bit with her relatives.

Even though, Pov Panhapich has being treated in Vietnam, there were a number of Cambodians impersonating as her relatives to attempt to visit her. So that security has been tightened at the hospital, and her family member were issued special passes enabling them to easily enter her room.

Attempting on the lives of film stars and Karaoke singers have in the past been related to “love triangle”, especially love triangles between powerful and the rich. Rumors said that she had relationship with a man who does business in real estate and others said that she was involved with high ranging official. No specified sources were clearly mentioned.

The singer’s sister, Pov Chan Sotheavy, told the Daily that her sister had quarreled with a young man. Adding that unidentified man had been in love with her sister and became angry when he was denied she added that the man was always trying to annoy her sister by using his motorbike to play and fly around her car.

Ieng Sithul, president of the Khmer Actress Association, appealed to the public to provide donation for Panhapich’s treatment. According to her family, medical bills were spent from $400 to $500 per day. At the mean time, Phnom Penh Municipal Police have provided more than $1,200 to help pay for the singer’s medical care and several fellow performers have also contributed some money for her treatment. The singer’s sister said that until now her family spent over $10,000 for medical treatment.

Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry’s spokesman, quoted by the Daily as saying that police arrested four men around Cambodia possessing illegal weapons and at least one of them maybe a suspect. On the contrary, violent attacks on women working in the entertainment industry have been unknown and arrested in Cambodia.

Mu Sochua, SRP Secretary General, also expressed concern that a “culture of impunity” will lead to more shootings of famous performers. The Daily reported.

In the past, attacking on movie stars and signers by assailants were not apprehended by police. Cambodia has a history of revenge of attacks on performers by assailants believed to be hired by jealous wives. In the cases of Piseth Pelika on July 6, 1999, she was shot to dead near O’Russei Market. On October 21, 2003, popular singer and university professor Touch Srey Nich was shot in Phnom Penh. Nobody was now arrested. These cases happened because of love affaire, and mistress with government officials and the rich.