By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The National Assembly failed to debate or vote on the draconian new monogamy law Wednesday, though Assembly President Heng Samrin said he would push for the legislation to be passed by the end of the week.
Officials said the vote was delayed by an equally controversial new law curbing lawmakers' rights to free speech, which the Assembly succeeded in voting into effect Wednesday.
"I will push for the [monogamyl law to be finished tomorrow or the next day. The law must be adopted," Heng Samrin told reporters outside parliament.
If passed, the law will mean that men and women can be; sentenced to up to a year in prison for having extramarital affairs. Several political observers claim the legislation is aimed at creating further strife for Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Heng Samrin denied the law is being prioritized over other legislation, such as the much needed anti-corruption law, which has been meandering more than a decade through a labyrinth of government offices. "To those who criticized or claimed the National Assembly was thinking only about the monogamy law, it is not true. Any laws are important," Heng Samrin maintained. Parliamentarians can decide for themselves whether or not to vote for the law, he added.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, said the law was worthy of the Khmer Rouge. "The Khmer Rouge had spies to stay under people's houses," he said. "The law must provide a clear definition, whether it applies to all people or to one person—Prince Norodom Ranariddh," he added.
Chea Vannath, former president of the Center for Social Development, said that once in place, the law, like other legislation in Cambodia, will probably be selectively implemented.
Officials said the vote was delayed by an equally controversial new law curbing lawmakers' rights to free speech, which the Assembly succeeded in voting into effect Wednesday.
"I will push for the [monogamyl law to be finished tomorrow or the next day. The law must be adopted," Heng Samrin told reporters outside parliament.
If passed, the law will mean that men and women can be; sentenced to up to a year in prison for having extramarital affairs. Several political observers claim the legislation is aimed at creating further strife for Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Heng Samrin denied the law is being prioritized over other legislation, such as the much needed anti-corruption law, which has been meandering more than a decade through a labyrinth of government offices. "To those who criticized or claimed the National Assembly was thinking only about the monogamy law, it is not true. Any laws are important," Heng Samrin maintained. Parliamentarians can decide for themselves whether or not to vote for the law, he added.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, said the law was worthy of the Khmer Rouge. "The Khmer Rouge had spies to stay under people's houses," he said. "The law must provide a clear definition, whether it applies to all people or to one person—Prince Norodom Ranariddh," he added.
Chea Vannath, former president of the Center for Social Development, said that once in place, the law, like other legislation in Cambodia, will probably be selectively implemented.
1 comment:
If AH HENG SAMRIN know any better, this mother fucker is better off passing anti-corruption law!
Stop making excuse and pass the fucken anti-corruption law now!
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