CPP Begins Process To Choose 2007 Candidates
By Yun Samean and James Welsh
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The CPP has begun holding internal elections across the country to help decide which of its officials will stand as candidates in the 2007 commune elections, party officials said Tuesday.
The informal elections, which began earlier this month, enable local CPP members to vote for party officials who they think will best represent their interests in April's commune election officials said.
However, senior CPP officials will ultimately still pick the candidates for the commune elections, after taking the internal election results into consideration, CPP officials said.
"We are electing the most influential candidates," said CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap. "This is democracy within the party."
CPP members have already voted in parts of Phnom Penh and Prey Veng province. After each vote, the results are taken to the party's district council for the official count, Cheam Yeap said.
SRP President Sam Rainsy applauded the CPP for using a process similar to the one that his party has used in thousands of rural villages over the past two years.
The SRP, however, appoints its commune council candidates solely on how local SRP members vote, he said.
"It shows the CPP as a democratic structure. It improves the image of selecting the candidates," he said.
Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the CPP has been holding such elections since 1998, but had concealed them from those outside the party.
"The CPP has not circulated the information because the CPP is afraid another party will use the system," he added.
Vann Sareth, CPP commune chief of Boeng Kak II in Phnom Penh's Tuol Kok district's, said he was looking forward to his commune's in-house elections.
"This is the first time in the CPP’s history," he said. "The decentralized election is a better system than the party's nomination."
The informal elections, which began earlier this month, enable local CPP members to vote for party officials who they think will best represent their interests in April's commune election officials said.
However, senior CPP officials will ultimately still pick the candidates for the commune elections, after taking the internal election results into consideration, CPP officials said.
"We are electing the most influential candidates," said CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap. "This is democracy within the party."
CPP members have already voted in parts of Phnom Penh and Prey Veng province. After each vote, the results are taken to the party's district council for the official count, Cheam Yeap said.
SRP President Sam Rainsy applauded the CPP for using a process similar to the one that his party has used in thousands of rural villages over the past two years.
The SRP, however, appoints its commune council candidates solely on how local SRP members vote, he said.
Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the CPP appeared to be experimenting with the democratic processes.
"It shows the CPP as a democratic structure. It improves the image of selecting the candidates," he said.
Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the CPP has been holding such elections since 1998, but had concealed them from those outside the party.
"The CPP has not circulated the information because the CPP is afraid another party will use the system," he added.
Vann Sareth, CPP commune chief of Boeng Kak II in Phnom Penh's Tuol Kok district's, said he was looking forward to his commune's in-house elections.
"This is the first time in the CPP’s history," he said. "The decentralized election is a better system than the party's nomination."
2 comments:
CPP admits the top will select among those who are voted for at the grass-roots.
Other parties do the same thing but they do not have the courage to admit it.
SiS
As if CPP invents the democratic process ......
Maybe it should also file a patent for this unique system
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