Tuesday, July 22, 2008

CPP Said Restructuring Ministries, Reshuffling Ministers for New Government

13 Jul 08 - 14 Jul 08
By Sothea
Samleng Yuveakchon Khmer

Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

Although the election to choose new People's Representatives is not even underway, Hun Sen, deputy president of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP], has already been heard bragging about the number of seats his party would have won. Now that the outcome of the election has already been made a fait accompli, there are rumors about the new Cabinet composition formed on the slightly reshuffled third Cabinet. These claims by anonymous and unidentified sources have raised an alarm about foul play regarding the premature assertions.

According to an unofficial source, the new government to be led by the CPP has plans to change the leadership of a number of ministries and to divide others. For example, the Ministry of Interior is to be split into two: the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Interior while the minister to head each of these two ministries, it is claimed, has already been designated.

The source maintained that Uk Rabun will be minister of economy and finance replacing Keat Chhon, although there is strong competition for this ministry from Onpoan Monirat, an official close to Prime Minister Hun Sen. However, it is said that Uk Rabun has a better chance because he is very close to Mrs. Bun Rani Hun Sen.

Prak Sokhon is to be minister of foreign affairs replacing Hor Namhong, who will become chairman of a commission in the National Assembly. Cheam Yiep, currently chairman of a National Assembly commission, is to become minister of rural development, a post currently held by an official from the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, and Peaceful Cambodia] Party. Chea Sophara, currently state secretary for the Ministry of Urbanization and Construction, is to be promoted to the post of minister of the same ministry.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior is to be split into two ministries: The Ministry of National Security to be headed by Hok Langdi, currently commissioner- general of the National Police Department, and the Ministry of Interior to remain under Sar Kheng's control. In this sense, although the Ministry of Interior is not yet divided, plans have already been prepared.

As for the Ministry of National Defense, which currently is headed by Tie Banh, it will be headed by Pol Saroeun while Tie Banh will be moved to the National Assembly where he will be made chairman of a commission.

The Ministry of Information, which is headed by Khieu Kanharith, will be placed under Om Yentieng's leadership. Om Yentieng, who currently is the personal adviser of Prime Minister Hun Sen and chairman of Cambodia's National Committee for Human Rights, is being groomed to be information minister while Khieu Kanharith, the source affirmed, would be an MP and spokesman of the CPP.

Concerning the Ministry of Agriculture, Chan Sarun will be informed of his transfer as well. He will be replaced by Bin Chhin, currently adviser to the government with the rank of deputy prime minister. Bin Chhin has been offered the Ministry of Agriculture, which has been known to be responsible for the current wholesale deforestation.

The source claimed that the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, which currently is under the control of Vong Sot, will go to Pich Sophoan.

Nevertheless, news about this reshuffle has not yet been confirmed by any reliable sources, and it is not yet certain that the CPP will win enough seats to lead the government alone.

While sources claim that officials in major ministries will be reshuffled, there is also a rumor that the name of present Phnom Penh governor Kep Chutema is no longer on the list as city governor. However, there are no sources to affirm who would replace him in this position. Nonetheless, one source has claimed that Khleang Huot, governor of Russei Kev district, former FUNCINPEC official who has just switched to the CPP, is bargaining hard for Governor Kep Chutema's seat. Anyway, the source did not confirm this news with specific proof.

The above designations of a number of CPP leaders to ministerial posts are said to concern mostly officials from the faction of CPP Deputy President Hun Sen. While news about the reshuffle of ministerial positions mostly concerns officials from Prime Minister Hun Sen's group, there are reports that present CPP President Chea Sim has given up responsibilities for several departments of his post. Sources claimed that Chea Sim has ill health and cannot take substantial care of the CPP president's responsibilities. Consequently, Chea Sim no longer pays much attention to contesting for power inside the CPP.

Along with this piece of news, many analysts have made different speculations with some of them saying that the above rumors are nothing but rumors while others holding that this is a draft plan of the CPP to lead the new government alone. Yet, many others said that these allotments of posts are merely made up by the CPP as incentives to push some people to work even harder.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is a good move for CPP. Old ministers need to retire from their active post and work MP is the best.
I believe that SR party will agin thier number of seats in parliament but can not form a government alone. CPP will still be the leading of this poll.

Anonymous said...

Chan Sarun, the old guy I saw in green deal? His old brother was the late Khmer actor Dr. Haing Ngo. So where that old guy Chan Sarun is going to be?

Yeah Chea Sim needs to take care his heath, and stop worrying about power, he an't going take with him when he dies.

Anonymous said...

Try to surround yourself with intelligent people (people with real knowledge and smart) not stupid asshole like Om Yentieng, Sok Anh (the cock fighter)who was trick by the siam (that was not brilliant a bit) and many others.

Anonymous said...

Sound like 3rd generation hybrid khmer rouge/vietcong running scambodia all over again.

The never ending suffering of khmer people.

Anonymous said...

10:17 AM
Let Muslim/siem insurgent control Siem country because siem police fail to protect themself and its people.

I never hear that muslim insurgent have tanks, heavy guns, air force... but they only have local made bomb, small guns, they can kill/injur polices. Yesrterday, BKP report that 10 police and 1 civil were injured

A siem Ach Kry= A sy ach Kriem = អា​ស៊ី​អាចមន៍​ក្រៀម (in Khmer)

Anonymous said...

Hey stop changing the subject. Just get your monkey's ass out of Issan Province. The Muslim issue in Thailand is none of your business.

Anonymous said...

The Siam cannot even beat Laos and they want to try Cambodia.

Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Stop dreaming!

You monkeys can't beat Lao, and you want to beat the super Lao (the Thai)?