By Elizabeth Tomei and Pin Sisovann
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Despite strong efforts by the National Election Committee, last month's voter list revision and voter registration process was marred by problems and irregularities, the Committee for Free and Fair Elections said in a preliminary report on the process.
Registration for the April commune elections took place at commune offices across the country from Oct 1 to Oct 24. But commune clerks and councilors often showed a lack of respect for working hours, arriving at work late, taking long breaks and leaving work early during the registration period, Comfrel said in the report, received Tuesday and dated Nov 2.
Provincial and municipal authorities failed to abide by a Sept 28 Interior Ministry guideline ordering them not to assign work to commune officials and clerks other than registering voters and correcting voter lists, Comfrel said.
"At the same time, some sangkats/communes were observed to close down frequently so that staff could go to meetings with other local authorities and/or parry meetings, or because of unexpected incidents," Comfrel said.
Comfrel also said potential voters lacked a clear understanding of the registration process because NEC dissemination of information was "limited and ineffective" and procedures were complicated.
Though political party members "participated keenly" to help with registration and distributing, voter information this year, some commune officials restricted participation based on party affiliation, particularly for agents of the SRP in Phnom Penh and Kompong Cham province, Comfrel said.
The report draws on information obtained from random countrywide checks made by more than 400 long-term Comfrel observers.
Phan Keo Mono, deputy director of the NEC's public information bureau, said Comfrel’s report focuses on minor irregularities.
"[Such criticism] does not see the actual result but is trying to bring out small negative points," he said. "We have registered more than one million voters [this year].... It is a great result for the NEC," he added.
Registration for the April commune elections took place at commune offices across the country from Oct 1 to Oct 24. But commune clerks and councilors often showed a lack of respect for working hours, arriving at work late, taking long breaks and leaving work early during the registration period, Comfrel said in the report, received Tuesday and dated Nov 2.
Provincial and municipal authorities failed to abide by a Sept 28 Interior Ministry guideline ordering them not to assign work to commune officials and clerks other than registering voters and correcting voter lists, Comfrel said.
"At the same time, some sangkats/communes were observed to close down frequently so that staff could go to meetings with other local authorities and/or parry meetings, or because of unexpected incidents," Comfrel said.
Comfrel also said potential voters lacked a clear understanding of the registration process because NEC dissemination of information was "limited and ineffective" and procedures were complicated.
Though political party members "participated keenly" to help with registration and distributing, voter information this year, some commune officials restricted participation based on party affiliation, particularly for agents of the SRP in Phnom Penh and Kompong Cham province, Comfrel said.
The report draws on information obtained from random countrywide checks made by more than 400 long-term Comfrel observers.
Phan Keo Mono, deputy director of the NEC's public information bureau, said Comfrel’s report focuses on minor irregularities.
"[Such criticism] does not see the actual result but is trying to bring out small negative points," he said. "We have registered more than one million voters [this year].... It is a great result for the NEC," he added.
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