Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s official Facebook page was hacked on Monday, Facebook said a day later.
The company had worked with the premiere’s team to help him regain secure access, Facebook added.
An unauthorised post on Hun Sen’s page, which has nearly 11mn followers, claimed that if Facebook attempted to block the prime minister’s account, he would shut down the social network across the country, local media reported yesterday.
On Monday, the post in question, which the premier said was the work of a hacker, stated, “Facebook tried to delete information and block my account,” according to the Khmer Times.
“But I, Hun Sen, would like to say that if you dare to block my account, I will block the use of Facebook in Cambodia.”
Soon after, Hun Sen, who has led Cambodia for 34 years, then apparently clarified on Facebook that his page had been compromised, the Times reported.
“Now Facebook is investigating to track the hacker who is trying to spread false information in our society,” the premier said.
In 2018, Cambodia had 6.8mn Facebook users, double the number of users in 2016, from a total population of about 16mn, according to figures compiled by the site Geeks in Cambodia.
Hun Sen uses Facebook regularly, posting statements and photos with family and officials and live-streaming speeches.
He also uses the platform to lash out at critics.
His account was also allegedly hacked last year.