Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online
According to a National Election Committee (NEC) official, the fourth general election scheduled for 27 July 2008 would require a US$16.8-million budget. NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha said Monday that the NEC had submitted a proposed budget of US$16.8 million to the government for the election, including the process of checking the register and registering the voters.
The NEC secretary-general admitted that the budget for the fourth general election has increased if compared to the third national election in 2003. The increase of the budget stems from the fact that the NEC has increased the number of officials at its offices throughout the country and has raised the amount of remuneration for the officials and personnel serving at each polling station.
"In all the expenses, including those on the voter registration and the election in 2008 we will spend US$16.8 million. Compared to past elections, except for the one in 1998, the 2008 election is going to cost more than previous elections," said Tep Nitha.
Concerning this issue, Hang Putthea, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee on Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia or NICFEC in short, said that the NEC spends more on organizing each of the elections compared to a number of other countries in the world. He said the NEC should cut down the waste and some useless expenses, adding that with this inflated budget for the fourth election the NEC should see to it that this election proceeds smoothly and fairly.
"Compared to a number of other countries the cost is more than in those countries. I think that the NEC should try to cut out any expense that we think is not necessary or any expense that is extravagant and should ensure that the election will be an excellent one," said NICFEC Director Hang Putthea.
Civil society officials and observers in Cambodia supported Hang Putthea's view. Because the fourth national election planned for Sunday 27 July 2008 will cost more than the third national election, the NEC must see to it that this fourth parliamentary election is going to be better than previous elections.
Nevertheless, some of the observers said that the 27 July 2008 fourth national election will not proceed correctly and fairly although it is expected to cost more than the July 2003 election. This is because the NEC with Im Suosdei as chairman belongs to the ruling party, a fact that even UN special representative Yash Ghai had criticized. Therefore, the projected budget that exceeds that of previous elections will not make this coming election any better nor will it make this election proceed correctly and fairly because Im Suosdei and Tep Nitha remain the chairman and secretary-general of the NEC.
These observers were critical of the fact that even in the cleaning of the voter register the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors, who are men of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP], could commit many wicked acts in line with their dark design without worrying about being punished. The evil deeds carried out by the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors have included the deleting of the names of opposition party supporters from the voter register although these citizens did not move out of their addresses and did not have their names registered twice and although they had taken part in all past elections. On the contrary, the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors, who are the men of the CPP, refused to delete the names of the Vietnamese that the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] demanded be erased from the register.
Recently, there was a most shocking incident when the local authorities deleted the name of Mau Sophearith, a high-rankling NEC official, from the register although he and his family had not changed their address. This shows to the public that the strategy of the CPP is to delete the names of the opposition party supporters even if they have not changed their addresses. It means that the village chiefs and commune/precinct secretaries of the CPP are using Form 1025 in the service of the ruling party in a most despicable manner.
Civil society officials said that since even Mau Sophearith, who is among the top leaders of the NEC, has not been spared, the local authorities are not going to be afraid to use tricks to delete the names of ordinary SRP supporters from the register in order to help the ruling party dishonestly win the election. Consequently, the international community and aid-donor countries, as well as the national and international observers, must closely monitor the evil deeds of the NEC, which is widely known as an instrument of the ruling party.
Monitors of the political situation in Cambodia have predicted that the fourth general election on 27 July 2008 will not proceed correctly and fairly even with a US$16.8-million budget. On the contrary, this fourth election will be worse than the third election because Im Suosdei and Tep Nitha, the chairman and secretary-general of the NEC, have already been using tricks to help the CPP win the election fraudulently. As a matter of fact, the many cases of the village chiefs and commune/precinct secretaries deleting the names of opposition party supporters from the voter register are proof that cannot be refuted or covered up.
The NEC secretary-general admitted that the budget for the fourth general election has increased if compared to the third national election in 2003. The increase of the budget stems from the fact that the NEC has increased the number of officials at its offices throughout the country and has raised the amount of remuneration for the officials and personnel serving at each polling station.
"In all the expenses, including those on the voter registration and the election in 2008 we will spend US$16.8 million. Compared to past elections, except for the one in 1998, the 2008 election is going to cost more than previous elections," said Tep Nitha.
Concerning this issue, Hang Putthea, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee on Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia or NICFEC in short, said that the NEC spends more on organizing each of the elections compared to a number of other countries in the world. He said the NEC should cut down the waste and some useless expenses, adding that with this inflated budget for the fourth election the NEC should see to it that this election proceeds smoothly and fairly.
"Compared to a number of other countries the cost is more than in those countries. I think that the NEC should try to cut out any expense that we think is not necessary or any expense that is extravagant and should ensure that the election will be an excellent one," said NICFEC Director Hang Putthea.
Civil society officials and observers in Cambodia supported Hang Putthea's view. Because the fourth national election planned for Sunday 27 July 2008 will cost more than the third national election, the NEC must see to it that this fourth parliamentary election is going to be better than previous elections.
Nevertheless, some of the observers said that the 27 July 2008 fourth national election will not proceed correctly and fairly although it is expected to cost more than the July 2003 election. This is because the NEC with Im Suosdei as chairman belongs to the ruling party, a fact that even UN special representative Yash Ghai had criticized. Therefore, the projected budget that exceeds that of previous elections will not make this coming election any better nor will it make this election proceed correctly and fairly because Im Suosdei and Tep Nitha remain the chairman and secretary-general of the NEC.
These observers were critical of the fact that even in the cleaning of the voter register the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors, who are men of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP], could commit many wicked acts in line with their dark design without worrying about being punished. The evil deeds carried out by the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors have included the deleting of the names of opposition party supporters from the voter register although these citizens did not move out of their addresses and did not have their names registered twice and although they had taken part in all past elections. On the contrary, the village chiefs, commune/precinct secretaries, and commune/precinct councilors, who are the men of the CPP, refused to delete the names of the Vietnamese that the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] demanded be erased from the register.
Recently, there was a most shocking incident when the local authorities deleted the name of Mau Sophearith, a high-rankling NEC official, from the register although he and his family had not changed their address. This shows to the public that the strategy of the CPP is to delete the names of the opposition party supporters even if they have not changed their addresses. It means that the village chiefs and commune/precinct secretaries of the CPP are using Form 1025 in the service of the ruling party in a most despicable manner.
Civil society officials said that since even Mau Sophearith, who is among the top leaders of the NEC, has not been spared, the local authorities are not going to be afraid to use tricks to delete the names of ordinary SRP supporters from the register in order to help the ruling party dishonestly win the election. Consequently, the international community and aid-donor countries, as well as the national and international observers, must closely monitor the evil deeds of the NEC, which is widely known as an instrument of the ruling party.
Monitors of the political situation in Cambodia have predicted that the fourth general election on 27 July 2008 will not proceed correctly and fairly even with a US$16.8-million budget. On the contrary, this fourth election will be worse than the third election because Im Suosdei and Tep Nitha, the chairman and secretary-general of the NEC, have already been using tricks to help the CPP win the election fraudulently. As a matter of fact, the many cases of the village chiefs and commune/precinct secretaries deleting the names of opposition party supporters from the voter register are proof that cannot be refuted or covered up.
4 comments:
Since the NEC can't steal and NEC will have to ask for it!
The Government must have this budget prepared for every 5 years election. Without this budget, Cambodia cannot be called a Sovereign Nation because this budget is very important for this part of election process. If the Government cannot raise this monies, the Present members of the government should have disqualified to join next election process. Areak prey
Dear khmers
There have been discrepency,manipulative practice of NEC until now.This coming election must be transparent and NEC committee should be impartial from ruling party.It should have election of NEC every 2 terms,comprised of teachers,judges,doctors...from anti corruption,human right,woman right organisations ,workers union,civil servants,uni student reps and royal representative oversees the national election,if that cambodia considered as royal kingdom and where every corner of the cambodian society involved.National and international NGOs can participate for better and fair election.Our king should ensure cambodian rights ,safety and power of authority exercised appropriately as per article 8 and 9 of national constitution.Everyone has to demand citizenship rights fullfiled,so the abuse can be avoided.
Khmer Soth
That should be nice, Mr/Ms Khmer Soth you should live in the reality world. People are getting so cold and lonely, SRP should spare some time with them, they said if you help me, I help you.
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