Sunday, July 27, 2008

Voting underway in Cambodia's national election

Sunday, July 27, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Polling booths are open in Cambodia for legislative elections and the 15,000 booths will stay open for eight hours.

More than eight million people are registered to vote. Official results could take days to be announced, but the parties are expected to release their own tallies this evening.

South-east Asia correspondent Karen Percy reports the long-serving prime minister, Hun Sen, is expected to extend his majority.

She says Hun Sen has been running the country for 23 years. His Cambodian People's Party currently holds 73 of the 123 national seats.

That's expected to rise to at least 80. There are 13-thousand local and international election monitors in the country.

The vote is expected to go smoothly, but human rights groups say during the month-long election campaign, many voters are likely to have been bought off or intimidated into voting for the ruling party.

The main opposition party, headed by Sam Rainsy, is expected to make some ground as well now that the royalist party, Funcinpec, has been largely sidelined as a result of internal squabbles.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I feel so sorry for the Khmer people and the opposition party Sam Rainsy.

Sam Rainsy did a great job, but the CPP has always used absolute power to destroy the opposition party.

I cannot stand with HRP of Kem Sokha, Mrs Rasmey of Funcenpec and the jerk Rannarish.

These three are helping Hun Sen behind, they may be paid to take away the votes from Sam Rainsy.

It is not about helping the nation it is about money and fame why Kem Sokha, Ms. Rasmey and Rannaridh each created party.

Why these Khmers like Kem Sopkha, Rannaridh and Mrs. Rasmey are so fuck up? When will they learn what is "Unity"? If Mrs Rasmey is so dumb because most Lao are dumb, and negro-Indian like Rannaridh is too, and how about Kem Sokha? May be Kem Sokha was Khmer Viet Minh.

I projected Sam Rainsy winner in 2008, but as long as CPP controls no chance for others to win with a fairness.