Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Sam Rainsy: Hun Sen's political buyout diverts the public attention from actual major problems faced by the country

7 SRP candidates defect at Sam Rainsy’s return to Cambodia

Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy returned back to Cambodia on 26 May while Hun Sen announced a large defection of 7 SRP candidates to the CPP.

During a distribution of diplomas to 2,259 students, in the morning of 26 may 2008, at the University of Human Resources, Hun Sen said that 6 SRP candidates for the 4th legislative mandate and a current SRP MP defected to join the CPP.

The 6 SRP candidates are: Mey Bun Vithya, a member of the steering committee, Chap Rithy, Bean Thul, Heang Soriyeak, Heang Rasmei, and Em Chantha. The 6 are all SRP candidates for the province of Kandal. Nou Sovath, the current SRP MP in Phnom Penh city has also decided to defect the SRP to join the CPP also.

Hun Sen presented his apologies to the SRP for these departures, however, he still claims that he will continue to accept all opposition officials who want to defect to the CPP. Hun Sen said: “I still accept them, if they are still coming, we will still be accepting them. I am certain that there will be more SRP defectors who will come, the CPP will accept them again because they are all Cambodians, we do not discriminate.” Hun Sen said that the issue that must be clarified is why they keep on leaving the SRP, this problem must be resolved.

Hun Sen added that he nominated Nou Sovath to become the chairman of the CPP workgroup in charge of helping Phnom Penh city. At the same time, Hun Sen also announced that Phauk Sovannrith, the Funcinpec secretary of state for the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mine, had also defected the Funcinpec to join the CPP.

Hun Sen’s announce about the defection of the 7 SRP party member coincides with the Sam Rainsy’s return back from Europe where he was visiting as part of his overseas political activities, as well as for the publication of his book “Rooted in the Stone” which depicts his life and struggle for democracy in Cambodia.

In his interview, Sam Rainsy accused: “This is a trick to divert the attention of the population from the real problems they are facing, such as land disputes, deforestation, joblessness, and inflation, etc…” Sam Rainsy said that the government does not resolve these major issues, but instead, it is using a trick to divert the population’s attention by buying such and such politicians.

Even though he is facing with the defection flow of important party officials, Sam Rainsy still believes that these defections would not affect the popularity and the votes for the SRP. He explained that people do not vote for individuals, but they support the STP standing and policy. He added that some people do not even know who the candidates for the election are.

Nevertheless, political commentators said that the defection of SRP candidates is not a minor issue, and it could hassle the SRP election campaign, and this could affect the attraction of supporters.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

The poor man simply does not know how to handle the stream of defections from his party.

OOOO

Anonymous said...

After the election, these defectors will become broken men and doeur tort kyoll.

Anonymous said...

OOOO

You should have defected a long time ago too instead of becoming such pathetic figure.

Next please ?

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't give a sh*t about those defectors. These are not the last batch after all. Did they get paid this much while staying with the SRP ? No, so a monthly salary of $700 is a lot to them. The SRP is the stepping stone to finding a career for many would-be politicians. They were disappointed for not being given the first spot in the elctorates.

You can see that most of these defectors were not sure of their stance in the first place.

Anonymous said...

this defection is a good thing for SRP, in that: -
1/ it allow SRP's members to filtrate CPP party whom is keen to pay big $$. Why not get paid and become a virus in the CPP causing CPP internal reform.
2/ SRP members who's still remain in SRP party are genuine as they are passionate about issues facing each and every Khmer in Cambodia today. Either way SRP party in my view will becoming stronger and will lead a better Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Only the faithful ones will remain true to the core in defending Cambodian cause. The rests are more for quick gain. Those defectors would be the first one to be purged by the Political Bureau of the CPP. Have they ever learned anything? Regrettably, NO.

Anonymous said...

Inconstant politician are worthless to keep. To keep them is no benefit, to get rid of them is no loss. t

Anonymous said...

You want any position in the governemnt, go and do time with the SRP, you will surely become appreciate in value.

I mean who ever heard of nou Savath and those couples of defectors before ? Stick your heads in the SRP, you will get a beter position than many ofthe CPP members in the whole country who had been licking Hun Sen's ass for 30 years. It will cause animosity among the veteran lickers.

If I were dirt poor in Cambodia I wouldn't mind the money and title. Thanks to Ngor Sovan in Kandal who is still so bitter and twisted about SG's gambling habbit which to him is worse than the CPP's destruction of the country !

Anonymous said...

Sam Rainsy does not know how to lead the party. Instead of trying to keep it together he goes on trips to the U. S. and Europe, to collect campaign funds and to promote his book. This is all well, but done at a bad time. The people leaving the party see the problems from within the party, which by the way we don't. So they leave. You could also call the rats leave the sinking ship. This is what the SRP appears to be in this pre-election time. If he weren't so inanely stubborn he would merge the Kem Sokha's Human Rights Party, and at least have some more clout. He has lost sight of the true objectives. It looks like it's about personal pride for him more than anything else. He doesn't know how to compromise - not good in a political leader.

Anonymous said...

My beloved Khmers!

Kampuchea is full of drunks and rogues, and also entering one of corruption and decay, with money as the object of principal importance in the new and old CPP's parasites' mentality and Hun SenVarman's infinitely unmorally superoir.

When the coming election is eventually over, we Khmers might be considerably and confidently predictable about some or all the SRP's defectors are feeling of a condemned men prior to their execution... standing near the scaffold and awaiting their dead on the brink of ruin!

Anonymous said...

Correction:

SRP's defectors that they are surprisingly and questionally feeling of a condemned....

Anonymous said...

The CPP is buying out members from other parties by using money and government positions. I agree. But somehow Rainsy must seriously look invert to himself for who he is and what he is doing.
Here is memorendum:
The following words were written on the tomb of Anglican Bishop in the Scripts of Wesminster Abbey:
"When I was young and free and my immagination has no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world wouldl not change, so I shortened my sight somewhat and decided to change only my country. But, it too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twighlight years, in one desterate attemp, I settled only in changing my family, those closest to me. But, alas, they would have none of it. And now as I lie in my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I only have changed myself first, then by exemple I would have chaned my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would have then be able to better my country, and who knows, I might have been changed the world."

Anonimous

Anonymous said...

Anonimous @11:55 PM ought to change everything that reads "Ransy" to say "Viet's puppet Hun Sen"...because Ah Hun Sen's ambitious goal of getting burried next to HO while trying to be a Viet Hero, selling Cambodia to Hanoi, will be impossible!

Anonymous said...

My beloved Anonimous!

Thank you for intentionally bringing out the philosophical and religious wisdom of Anglican Bishop. Honestly speaking, I openly confess that I am niether religious nor poliSickal man. Therefore I am undeniably agreed that SamRainsy is not entirely a greatest Khmer poliSickain, unfortunately we Khmer evidently don't have nor see anyone in any opposite's party who is experimentally better than him. Forgive me if I were totally wronged, SamRainsy's ultimate mistake that he is mentally thought and believed he is a superman who can accomplish anything by himself without any help. In short, he must suffer through the misery of realizing his own arrogance and pride quickly, therefore he can psychologically embrace his goodness.

Anonymous said...

FOLKS I CAN TELL YOU THIS TRICK. IF YOU WANT A GOOD GOVERNMENT JOB YOU EITHER HAVE TO PAY FOR OR
YOU CAN ENROLL YOURSELF WITH SRP INNER CIRCLE MEMBER FOR FEW YEARS, BUILD GOOD REPUTATION WITHIN SRP, THEN SWIFT SIDE TO CPP.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ENROLL IN SRP UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATES AND CPP IS WAITING FOR YOU

YOU GOT THIS IDEA???

Anonymous said...

11:55 and 12:23
That's exactly it. Sam Rainsy believes he can go it alone, and that's his biggest mistake. He maybe forgot what Khmer are really like because he lived in France so long. He thinks he is better than everybody else. Big mistake. Now he is reaping the fruits of his own arrogance.

Anonymous said...

No surprise.

Anonymous said...

It is really funny to see 12:56 AM comment.

One saying that" if you can't beat them, you join them". It is a good theory for those loose brains. But It can be better for those committed for good cause.

Neang SA

Anonymous said...

SR echoed and was unconcerned by this mass defection affair but it will definitely affect the outcome of the July election.

Time is running out, SR shall look into the core issue [why defect] strengthen and uplift members' moral now before it is too late - 2 months to go to the election.

Anonymous said...

There are only two real parties which have any hope in the election, that is the SRP and CPP.

Hun Sen must feel the heat. He can't loose. Offer the money and position (buy); if they are still stubborn use threat of violence; and on the day of counting the ballots, if he can't get at least 80 seat, don't release the results, but cook them till he get it.

He can't loose as he said. He run all the shows.

Rainsy only participates in the process as an educator to the Khmer people t owake up bit by bit. He has worked but as a conservative society Khmer people are not used to accepting change. Fear is human's worst enemey.

Anonymous said...

Ah Zimbabwean (Spam Rainxy) constantly cheats the election everyday by buying votes with free foods, gifts, t-shirts, ..., and hats. But that will not doing him any good because no one in their right mind would want to see Cambodia turns into Zimbabwe.

Anonymous said...

From day to day, SRP become popular and strong as more defectors flow into CPP.

SRP is standing on principle of democracy, so those defectors in hope of getting new opportunity is their rights, but SRP has become enormous as people can understand the democratic and idealistic of this party.

Bravo SRP!

Khmer Young said...

Monday, May 26, 2008
Transitional Cambodia Politics: July, 2008 Election of Segregation

I call this coming July 2008 national election of Cambodia as the Election of Segregation because the wealthiest and strongest CPP party has been keeping its Segregating Win-win Strategy forever. Regardless of how CPP has generated the capital resources to win the vote, this party has been tremendously trying to segregate the largest opposition party, the SRP. Hun Sen's win-win strategy is maintaining the same tactic: to weaken internal bond of opposition party, the SRP. There are many faces of that tactic, but the one current significant ongoing operation is to keep welcoming and appointing higher position to all those defectors from the SRP.

General speaking and fairly judgment, the sound policy of SRP towards some sensitive issues in Cambodian society surely make CPP's headache such as corruption, land grabbing, kleptocracy, illegal immigrants, commodities inflation, and biased judiciary system etc In responding to this SRP's key campaign, CPP under Hun Sen leadership is subverting the attention of Cambodian peoples and take advantage over SRP by building internal division and breaking inside SRP. Many defectors are increasing from SRP. As a genuine democratic party, SRP has hardship to stop those walking away in hope of finding new opportunity. The opportunists are existing in every party. But when CPP has been targeting SRP, it is surely incomprehensible. But CPP's tactic relating this internal breaking task-force is surely become double-edged sword. However, as an independent observer of Cambodia politics, why no one from CPP has been defected or walked away? Is this because of CPP is good and perfect? Or this is because of CPP is communist party that the defectors expect only to lose their life and invisible suffering?

Not only this internal operation of CPP that we should pay attention, the critical issues of Cambodian nation are neglected by CPP in correcting themselves for genuine development and sustainability of Cambodia. But in order to continue their position and power, CPP has to divide and eliminate any strong opposition party. It seems like CPP has not concerned and paid attention in collective actions and collaboration with the criticism of opposition parties, but CPP has concerned the abolishing anyone who has criticized their misbehavior.

In developed countries, with their professional political task-force, government regards the suggestions and criticism of opponents as the key proponents for their success and to improve the disadvantages of their nations. In contrast, Cambodia more sound criticisms made by opponents more divisive and marginalized will inevitably occur inside that opposition party.

In this matter, who are we going to blame? The political parties? The individual immature political leadership? Or the culture that has long time ingrained in Cambodian society?

The current interaction between government party and opposition parties are likely not basing on professional political career at all. Particularly, the government party (CPP) who is handing the largest social capital absolutely oversee the situation and perpetuate all opportunities to gain and maintain its power regardless of that power surely distracts the interests of Cambodian peoples.

In current transitional Cambodia politics, I can say politics is about the politics, politics is not about the investment of social good for Cambodia and the whole collective interests for them. Who is going to win is about your political party effective strategy, how good you understand the psychological traits of Cambodian peoples? How good you comprehend the collective behavior of Cambodian peoples when they think about politics? And how effective of your public speech in introducing your key policy precisely to be widespread tempted by the peoples to win their heart and mind?

However, to be fair the mechanism that can stimulate the Cambodian peoples and compete on the above perspective is absolutely excellent. But if the election procedure has already been projected to manipulate Cambodian peoples through the biased National Election Committees (NEC), it is a grave and ugly strategy. It is comparing like the winner pervasively robe and rape their own citizens!

KY