03 May 2007By Sam Borin
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
A former high-ranking official of the Cambodian National Election Committee (NEC) said that for democracy to flourish, the law and its application must be reviewed.
Nouv Kassie, the former Vice President of the NEC, made this comment in response to questions asked by a RFA reporter last night, regarding the proposal made by the Sam Rainsy Party to form a new organization outside of the NEC, which will be in charge of resolving election disputes and complaints.
Nouv Kassie, a former NGO leader and high-ranking official of the Ministry of Justice, said that it is true that the law and the institution, as well as the voting system fulfilled its role in the past, but that it no longer fulfills its present nor its future role.
Nouv Kassie said: “First, the law created the NEC which is staffed by representatives coming from political parties, then the NEC which is the brainchild of the law cannot be independent. Second, the current voting system is based on a proportional system which started since 1993. 15 years later, in [the] 2008 [election], I believe our democracy has matured [enough], so we need to rethink the voting system one more time if we want to have an improved democracy. We must find a way to change the system so that the people, the actual owners of the votes, can choose the person representing them [at the National Assembly] rather than choosing a representative for a political party. Third, the [current] voting system is based on a formula for seats sharing. The current formula does not allow any small parties the chance to obtain a seat at the National Assembly at all, this formula only serves the interest of large political parties.”
Kem Sokha, president of the newly formed Human Rights Party, supports the SRP proposal, saying that the proposal advanced by the SRP would help provide justice in the resolution of disputes arising from the elections.
Kem Sokha, who is currently visiting the US, said from New York City – a city considered as the symbol of freedom – that the current NEC must be turned into a true independent institution first, because currently, the NEC is only an instrument of the ruling party.
Kem Sokha said: “Another important point: the NEC which is in charge of organizing the election must be an independent institution, not one staffed by members of political parties. Currently, the NEC is staffed by members coming from 3 parties. Therefore, it cannot be independent because there are not just 3 parties that participate in the election, so why only these 3 parties are in the NEC? In reality, none of them (NEC officials) should come from political parties, this is the most important point. On the other point proposed by the Sam Rainsy Party, this is a correct proposal because the NEC is in charge of carrying out the election work, therefore, there should be another separate institution which renders justice and acts as a reviewer.”
The SRP proposal does not receive the support of the ruling CPP high-ranking officials, nor does it receive the support of the CPP NEC officials.
Nouv Kassie, the former Vice President of the NEC, made this comment in response to questions asked by a RFA reporter last night, regarding the proposal made by the Sam Rainsy Party to form a new organization outside of the NEC, which will be in charge of resolving election disputes and complaints.
Nouv Kassie, a former NGO leader and high-ranking official of the Ministry of Justice, said that it is true that the law and the institution, as well as the voting system fulfilled its role in the past, but that it no longer fulfills its present nor its future role.
Nouv Kassie said: “First, the law created the NEC which is staffed by representatives coming from political parties, then the NEC which is the brainchild of the law cannot be independent. Second, the current voting system is based on a proportional system which started since 1993. 15 years later, in [the] 2008 [election], I believe our democracy has matured [enough], so we need to rethink the voting system one more time if we want to have an improved democracy. We must find a way to change the system so that the people, the actual owners of the votes, can choose the person representing them [at the National Assembly] rather than choosing a representative for a political party. Third, the [current] voting system is based on a formula for seats sharing. The current formula does not allow any small parties the chance to obtain a seat at the National Assembly at all, this formula only serves the interest of large political parties.”
Kem Sokha, president of the newly formed Human Rights Party, supports the SRP proposal, saying that the proposal advanced by the SRP would help provide justice in the resolution of disputes arising from the elections.
Kem Sokha, who is currently visiting the US, said from New York City – a city considered as the symbol of freedom – that the current NEC must be turned into a true independent institution first, because currently, the NEC is only an instrument of the ruling party.
Kem Sokha said: “Another important point: the NEC which is in charge of organizing the election must be an independent institution, not one staffed by members of political parties. Currently, the NEC is staffed by members coming from 3 parties. Therefore, it cannot be independent because there are not just 3 parties that participate in the election, so why only these 3 parties are in the NEC? In reality, none of them (NEC officials) should come from political parties, this is the most important point. On the other point proposed by the Sam Rainsy Party, this is a correct proposal because the NEC is in charge of carrying out the election work, therefore, there should be another separate institution which renders justice and acts as a reviewer.”
The SRP proposal does not receive the support of the ruling CPP high-ranking officials, nor does it receive the support of the CPP NEC officials.
13 comments:
In Reality, NEC should be Neutral, Credible and reliable. Members of NEC should be free from affiated to any political party. The Head of NEC should have received a salary equal to avarage Minister of the Government so that he or she can strengten his or her integrity. NEC should work with National Institution of Democracy and all NGO in the country to provide all National elections and local Election with fair and free environment. In the NEC laws, NEC should have laws to protect NEC integrity and it independent from Political thread. If this National Institution is already independent then there is no point to set up another organisation to dublicate an original one which will undermind the authority of the first one.
Areak Prey
Fuck all that, we need to focus
more on people well being. That is
be need to get them jobs, jobs,
jobs, so that they will have money
to stimulate our economy.
8:03. The economy, wealth of the nation and people, its health: are directly link to politics and good governance. You need to keep that in mind. I can see your concern but there are larger things that must be address here, however you are right, the work must be done in both directions, from the grassroot we must better their lives by improving their understandings and providing them jobs and at the nationals we must review corruptions and stamp them out before it hurts anymore people below.
True, but I see too much focus on
nonsense, we must do everything
equally, buddy!
10.19am, it is not nonsense, fuck you . it is the way country is governed that see people in poverty, corruption, brbibery.
polital and economic always link together. why are you people so scared ofletting elction committee be neutral. look at the cou try you are living in now, do their election committee belogn tpo poltical party ? do parties always aftwer the committee declare the result ? mainly , no becauae nothing much to argue against independence, neutral election commitee.
10:19 i absolutely agree, we must do everything. But if nonsense is part of that everything, we need to take a step back and examine it further then we can move.
Good luck on your endeavor to better our country!
Hey, you idiot (11:01), I don't
give a damn about the election.
The world thinks it is alright.
People always fight during the
election because they dissagree
with each other, but now the
election is behind us, so we need
to work on job, job, and job.
Too many (millions) have waiting
for it. When will you start to
get them jobs?
Hey, asshole (12:47 PM), what kind of job do you want. Haven't you had enough blown from Mi Sumpung YUON? Ah Khmorch!! Mua!!
Man! This is so fucken ridiculous!
When Nouv Kassie, the former Vice President of the NEC was in power and he never mention a damn thing about reforming NEC and now he is blowing alot of hot air!!Fuck that!
Any fool can forsee such shit is bounded to happen for allowing too many fucken loophole to exist!!
It is very important to have free,fair, and neutral election so that the best candidate don't to fell intimidate by any motherfucker for doing the right thing for the country!!!!So what if Cambodian people put the election behind them already knowing that the job is not well done by the same motherfucker who had been leading the country for more than 30 years!!!!
Tell me if I hadn't say enough!!!ahahahahahahahah
Any type of job, 12:54, cleaning
office - aerospace engineering,
I don't give a damn. Right now we
needed 2.5-3 millions of it.
Hey, you idiot (11:01), I don't
give a damn about the election.
The world thinks it is alright.
People always fight for the
freedom of opinions because they
dissagree with the dictatorship
and youns immigrants, even the
election is finished but we continue to fight for freedom and for youns
immigrants because those the two important keys to develop Cambodia
To 4:38PM!
I say fuck the world!!What does the world know about Cambodian people situation??The world have their own selfish-interest and they never give a fuck about Cambodia and that is why the world including the Vietcong supported the same fucken leader for 30 years!
That should confirmed that Cambodia
has the right leader, not that we
needed any confirmation.
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