By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Prince Norodom Chakrapong filed a lawsuit at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday accusing Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay of defamation and seeking $1 million in damages, the prince's lawyer Long Dara said Sunday.
Prince Chakrapong, a Funcinpec senator, claims that Nhiek Bun Chhay’s critical remarks at a press conference in June about the prince's party loyalty have soiled his reputation, Long Dara said.
"We don't need the money but we need to restore the prince's dignity," he said.
At the press conference on June 6, Nhiek Bun Chhay accused the prince of planning to form a breakaway party named after Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Nhiek Bun Chhay's spokesman Nouv Sovathero said that Nhiek Bun Chhay was not alarmed by the lawsuit.
Former Funcinpec ambassador Ok Socheat said that Prince Chakrapong filed the suit because some party members have become convinced that the prince poses a threat to Funcinpec.
"He just wanted to make other party members see that he does not come to destroy Funcinpec," Ok Socheat said.
He added that the lawsuit will not affect the party's popularity, as voters pay little attention to Nhiek Bun Chhay or Prince Chakrapong.
"People know only [Funcinpec President] Prince Norodom Ranariddh, they don't know the rest," he said.
Nhiek Bun Chhay and Prince Chakrapong could not be reached for comment.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said the lawsuit will hurt Funcinpec and that Prince Chakrapong would do well to drop it.
"The prince should make a compromise in the case because it [concerns] the party's internal affairs," Hang Puthea said.
Prince Chakrapong, a Funcinpec senator, claims that Nhiek Bun Chhay’s critical remarks at a press conference in June about the prince's party loyalty have soiled his reputation, Long Dara said.
"We don't need the money but we need to restore the prince's dignity," he said.
At the press conference on June 6, Nhiek Bun Chhay accused the prince of planning to form a breakaway party named after Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Nhiek Bun Chhay's spokesman Nouv Sovathero said that Nhiek Bun Chhay was not alarmed by the lawsuit.
Former Funcinpec ambassador Ok Socheat said that Prince Chakrapong filed the suit because some party members have become convinced that the prince poses a threat to Funcinpec.
"He just wanted to make other party members see that he does not come to destroy Funcinpec," Ok Socheat said.
He added that the lawsuit will not affect the party's popularity, as voters pay little attention to Nhiek Bun Chhay or Prince Chakrapong.
"People know only [Funcinpec President] Prince Norodom Ranariddh, they don't know the rest," he said.
Nhiek Bun Chhay and Prince Chakrapong could not be reached for comment.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said the lawsuit will hurt Funcinpec and that Prince Chakrapong would do well to drop it.
"The prince should make a compromise in the case because it [concerns] the party's internal affairs," Hang Puthea said.
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