Kong Soth, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh
16/05/2007
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy sent a letter to UNDP Tuesday urging the organization to support an increase in the number of National Assembly seats for better representation of Cambodia's growing population.
Cambodia lacks checks and balances, Sam Rainsy said, in a letter addressed to Douglas Gardner, Cambodia's UNDP representative, adding that the burden was growing on legislators to represent their constituents.
"Unlike in more developed democracies, our legislature is unable to halt the excessive actions of the executive branch," Sam Rainsy wrote. "Increasing the number of parliamentarians would be an important step towards investing the legislative branch with the power it deserves."
Sam Rainsy called for an increase from 123 to 135 in the government's lawmaking body, which is rarely more than a rubber-stamp chamber for the edicts of Prime Minster Hun Sen or other ministers.
Cambodia's population has grown by 50 percent since the inception of the National Assembly, Sam Rainy wrote, but the number of parliamentary seats had not grown with it.
"The government, reluctant to make this change, has offered only one defense, that the financial cost will be too great," Sam Rainsy said. "We believe this not to be a rational argument, but rather a thinly veiled justification for maintaining an inexcusably weak parliament."
A constitutional option to increase the size of the National Assembly was ignored in the 2003 election, and now one member of parliament represents 118,000 citizens, Sam Rainsy said.
The seats should be increased before the 2008 national election, he said.
Cambodia lacks checks and balances, Sam Rainsy said, in a letter addressed to Douglas Gardner, Cambodia's UNDP representative, adding that the burden was growing on legislators to represent their constituents.
"Unlike in more developed democracies, our legislature is unable to halt the excessive actions of the executive branch," Sam Rainsy wrote. "Increasing the number of parliamentarians would be an important step towards investing the legislative branch with the power it deserves."
Sam Rainsy called for an increase from 123 to 135 in the government's lawmaking body, which is rarely more than a rubber-stamp chamber for the edicts of Prime Minster Hun Sen or other ministers.
Cambodia's population has grown by 50 percent since the inception of the National Assembly, Sam Rainy wrote, but the number of parliamentary seats had not grown with it.
"The government, reluctant to make this change, has offered only one defense, that the financial cost will be too great," Sam Rainsy said. "We believe this not to be a rational argument, but rather a thinly veiled justification for maintaining an inexcusably weak parliament."
A constitutional option to increase the size of the National Assembly was ignored in the 2003 election, and now one member of parliament represents 118,000 citizens, Sam Rainsy said.
The seats should be increased before the 2008 national election, he said.
5 comments:
We need a ballancing decision:
1. Samrainsy has logical reason to increase number of MPs that. - According increasing demographic, - help to inspect corruption and injustic, - to monitor the powerful parliament institute.
2. CPP has reason that is considered illogical because of: - afraid of national budget expense inceases while has no will to anti-corruption. - cannot explain the increasing number people for each MP that is contradict the national constitution in such limiting number of votes.
Now it is your turn!
Well, there are no new corruptions
to inspect; Corruptions has been
down, and with the salary increase
for the civil servants that should
further cut corruption. hence,
we should cut down on number of
MPs, not adding them.
The main reason, for CPP to refuse more seats in parliament, is many political party may have chance to get some seats which may conbine after elections to defeat CPP with 50%+1. It is not the reason produced by the most stupid member of the parliament Mr.Cheam Yeap. As there is many report of economic growth and wealth of oil in the near future.
What are you talking about?
Percentage has nothing to do with
the total number of seats. There
is virtually no difference between
123 (current) and 135 (to increase)
or 101 (to cut) mathematically.
As for combining seats after the
election, I doubt that that is
permissible. a party (one party)
must get 50%+1 to rule mean you
must form one party first, and if
you get 50% of the vote + 1 then
that party can rule.
We, Cambodians, are very ashamed to have an uneducated prime minister like ah Hun Sen
Reporters have rights to ask any question to high-rank officials, either prime minister, in the world.
If ah Hun Sen (Kbal youn khloun Sat') told RFA reporters are insolent, so ah Hun Sen is very ILL-BRED and uneducated barbarian person
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