Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Protest against the election of Eng Chhay Eang

11-09-2007
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

The return of Eng Chhay Eang as party Secretary-general, causes controversy within the SRP.

Rong Chhun and Chea Mony, leaders of two large unions of teachers and factory workers, and both SRP supporters, expressed their discontent regarding the election of Eng Chhay Eang as the new party Secretary-general. They blame Eng Chhay Eang of being a gambler. “We talked about fighting against corruption, money gambling, but we can’t avoid having as a party official a casino gambler! This shows the weakness and the lack of human resources within the SRP. We don’t support this,” Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’Association (CITA), said.

On Monday 10 September, Rong Chhun and Chea Mony, who is the President of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), wanted to issue a joint communiqué to express publicly their discontent. However, they delayed their action to leave time for the SRP to reflect about the nomination of the new party secretary-general. “It is not too late yet. The problem can be resolved now. The party must think about losing tens of thousands of supporters, or one single person. Being the only opposition (party), we must not deceive the party members,” Rong Chhun argued.

Two years ago, Eng Chhay Eang resigned from the position of party secretary-general, following a plot within the party, he was criticized by the party for his gambling habits. After the resignation, based on a proposal made by Sam Rainsy, the party president, Mu Sochua was elected as the party secretary-general, up until the congress which was held last weekend. Eng Chhay Eang was then re-elected as secretary-general along with two deputies, one of whom is Mu Sochua.

According to Kong Korm, SRP vice-president, it will be difficult to transfer Eng Chhay Eang when the latter obtained his position through a vote. “Everybody knows that Eng Chhay Eang was engaged in gambling. But, we saw that this does not affect the party. Furthermore, he was elected. Mu Scohua, herself, accepted this result,” Kong Korm explained while telling that his party proceeded with reforms in the past two years – reforms which start from the village levels leading up all the way to the national level, and now, all party officials must be elected.

Kong Korm’s explanations did not convince Rong Chhun who said that he is not discussing about the legitimacy of the election, but the party should come up with a statute that determines the behavior and the personality of its leaders.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do it fast otherwise the reform which Xamdach Raingsy was speaking of made no sense in real politic.Being conservative stays conservative,not convenience.
Boot him out for good. Mu Sochua does a good job and Raingsy needs to set examplary in deliverables.

Chhakaer kontouy khwian nouv taer khwian teul taer slab,so is Chhai Eang,a hypocrite.
Gambling is one of the forbidden sin according to Buddhist teaching.

Anonymous said...

Sound wonderful, I felt such an effort requires a much greater commitment of human resources. Do you have enough human resources to do the job? you need new blood!

Sophanara

Anonymous said...

This is ridiculous! We should be united right now to fight against the cpp. After we win the election, we can talk whether he's doing a good job or not. If he's not, then we can kick him out of the office; and if he's doing a good job for the party and the people, then what is the point of the arguement. As long as he's not stealing from the people and the party let him gamble. I bet he will learn soon or later that it doesn't bring him wealth, rather it only brings suffering.

Anonymous said...

Sam the best,
Pls listen to People who are your
patriots.They like to see you win.
New blood will give your the Victory.
Pls listen to your Heart not your Head.

Anonymous said...

Something is fishy. How can Chhai Eang be elected instead Mu Sochua?

Anonymous said...

The re-election of Mr. Eng Chhay Eang into the position of party Secretary General is the inevitably controversal. First of all, Chhay Eang mentioned when he stepped down from his position 2 years ago that he will come to take his position back. In doing so, he gather all his supporters as many as possible. In fact, he only stepped down from his position, but he still orchastrated his personal power as Secretary General behind the party.

Secondly, Mr. Kong Kam's opinion that Chhay Eang's gambling habit did not affect the party. It may be right at the time being. But the amount of money Mr. Eang lost to gambling were too much, 10 times to his income. Where the money came from?, in addition to his dept to most of his friends who he helped to promote in to a high ranking in the Party. Well, CPP is too clever in this political game.

As Mr. Chhay Eang comes back, SRP becomes autocratic political party which control by three family members.The party is ignoring most talented members who happen to be outside of these three family clans.What going to happen to those who opposed the leader style of Mr. Chhay Eang?

Mr. Sam Rainsy should do better than this, unless he owed something to Mr. Chhay Eang.

Anonymous said...

Rainsy is already lost to Chhay Eang a while ago.

Anonymous said...

As much as I want you to win this election, but a gambler is a gambler, character and dignity speak the volume.Please be open, there are alot of men and women out there who is well educated, speak to them.

Anonymous said...

If Sam Rainsy believes that an addicted gambler can garner supports to his party, perhaps he later can employ professional prostitutes to attract voters from Karaoke-goers. I know you never mean to win the election anyway.

Anonymous said...

Those members of family-clan SRP know very well that Chhay Eang is a powerful figure in the party without being a party secretary gerenal by installing his relatives to govern the main decision-making mechanism of the party. As a political strategy, he should stay behind the curtain without losing anything. But it seems that SPR has started to engineer its own demise. Well, stop bragging cosmetic reforms. We see the same guys doing the same things.

Anonymous said...

So many Cambodian who made the following bad comments about Eng Chhay Eang as gambler are such a hypocrite themselves! Majority of Cambodian people are gamblers and if you don't believe me check it out during Cambodian New Years! Gambling is part of Cambodian people pastime and it is part of Cambodian culture!

I don't give a fuck if Eng Chhay Eang goes gamble on his time and what he does with his time is his business! But if he using his working hour which on the government payroll and he better not fuck around because he is abusing his working hour and his privilege! As long as his gambling habit doesn't affect his performance on the job and I can careless!

What AH HUN SEN who killed a woman (Piseth Pilika) after having an affair with her and he is still in power! I know that there are many and many killers are still in power today! So to take an issue such gambling is weak!

Judge this man base on his ability, his intelligence, and his patriotism! The rest of the issues are just distraction from the real issues!

Anonymous said...

Don't wait until the results of the elections. Please try to use good people from now, otherwise it will be too late. Eng Chay Eng, did not do well in the previous elections. In Battambang, the number of seats remain the same when other provinces SRP received increases. Muasok Huor does a good job especially during the communal elections. If SRP really wants to win the election, pls consider this or maybe let Mr. Eng Chai Eng resign and elect a new person. If he knows that he is a gambler he should not try to stand for election again. He did not do a good job at the National Land Authority.

Anonymous said...

Where is MP Sok Pheng? Did SRP reward his achievement in bringing a significant seats in the commune election in Kampong Thhom Province?

It is foolish to argue that because Hun Sen and Sok An are such idiots that can stay in power, so why not and who cares having an oppisition leader of the same kind. I'm sorry it is not of my likings.

Anonymous said...

Compulsive gambler is always a cheater, a liar, and a thief, who is willing to steal people property to satisfy his /her addiction. Many gamblers have family problem and some went to jail. By re- electing Eng Chhay Eang as your party secretary-general, it indicated that you are incompetent to manage your human resources, and you are not a good Prime Minister either, because you can not manage the national resources. Mr. Sam Rainsy thinks it harder!

Anonymous said...

To 2:23PM

What do you think about Sok An who has addiction to cockfighting?

Does this make Sok An any better than Eng Chhay Eang because they both have some form of addiction!

By the way how do you know Eng Chhay Eang is a compulsive gambler? It takes one to know one you know!

Anonymous said...

I don't understand what you get from compararing Sok An and Eng Chhay Eang. If they are crooks, they are crooks.

If you want to go with the status quo, please go ahead. Afterall, people want to see a better SRP.

Anonymous said...

To 2:54PM!

You got to be kidding me! Cambodian people are not only want a better SRP but most importantly to be a winner! This is not about status quo! This is about performance! If Eng Chhay Eang is so weak and such a compulsive gambler and he wouldn't be MP of Battambong province through democratic process!

Those Cambodian people who don't understand Cambodian politic will never understand how important it is to have Battambong MP Eng Chhay Eang in Sam Rainsy Party!

Cambodian people need to open their eyes bigger because to win 2008 election Sam Rainsy must win Battambong province at all cost because Battambong is the second biggest city after Phnom Penh the capitol of Cambodia!