King Norodom Sihamoni will preside over a swearing-in ceremony that the opposition has threatened to boycott. REUTERS/Chor SokuntheaBy Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
15 August 2008
As King Norodom Sihamoni returned from the Beijing Olympics Friday, he was scheduled for key election functions, but opposition officials said they would ask him to delay a swearing-in ceremony for the formation of the new government.
Opposition leaders are maintaining a boycott of July's election results, claiming widespread fraud undermined free and fair elections.
Their complaints of fraud were dismissed by the National Election Committee, but they have appealed to the Constitutional Council. Ruling party officials say the opposition risks losing its seats if it maintains the boycott.
"The opposition still has a strong stance against the election results and requests a revote, because of many irregularities," Kong Kom, Sam Rainsy Party vice president, said. "If the king invites [new government members] to join the swearing-in ceremony…we will deny. But we request the king to reschedule the swearing-in ceremony on another day, until the National Election Committee, Constitutional Council and the international community recognize the election as free and fair."
A denial of the king's invitation by the opposition would invite "political assassination," Nguon Nhel, Cambodian People's Party senior official, told VOA Khmer Friday.
"If the opposition denies the king's invitation…the opposition looks down on the king and breaks the constitution," Nguon Nhel said. "The presence of the king and the majority win of the CPP will disqualify the opposition boycott."
Lao Monghay, a senior researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission, said the king could face a complication on his return from Beijing.
"The king also has much concern about the boycott," he said. "I don't have hope the king can solve the problem, because the king has limited political experience to administer the state. But the CPP's big win, if it will use its potential power over the king, maybe it will ask the king to take action as stated in the constitution, which will be difficult for the king to deny."
Meanwhile, King Sihamoni will also need to address a request by the Norodom Ranariddh Party to pardon the prince, who remains in exile following sentencing over breach of trust.
"The pardon is not a priority," Lao Monghay said. "But the opening of the new National Assembly is the priority."
Opposition leaders are maintaining a boycott of July's election results, claiming widespread fraud undermined free and fair elections.
Their complaints of fraud were dismissed by the National Election Committee, but they have appealed to the Constitutional Council. Ruling party officials say the opposition risks losing its seats if it maintains the boycott.
"The opposition still has a strong stance against the election results and requests a revote, because of many irregularities," Kong Kom, Sam Rainsy Party vice president, said. "If the king invites [new government members] to join the swearing-in ceremony…we will deny. But we request the king to reschedule the swearing-in ceremony on another day, until the National Election Committee, Constitutional Council and the international community recognize the election as free and fair."
A denial of the king's invitation by the opposition would invite "political assassination," Nguon Nhel, Cambodian People's Party senior official, told VOA Khmer Friday.
"If the opposition denies the king's invitation…the opposition looks down on the king and breaks the constitution," Nguon Nhel said. "The presence of the king and the majority win of the CPP will disqualify the opposition boycott."
Lao Monghay, a senior researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission, said the king could face a complication on his return from Beijing.
"The king also has much concern about the boycott," he said. "I don't have hope the king can solve the problem, because the king has limited political experience to administer the state. But the CPP's big win, if it will use its potential power over the king, maybe it will ask the king to take action as stated in the constitution, which will be difficult for the king to deny."
Meanwhile, King Sihamoni will also need to address a request by the Norodom Ranariddh Party to pardon the prince, who remains in exile following sentencing over breach of trust.
"The pardon is not a priority," Lao Monghay said. "But the opening of the new National Assembly is the priority."
12 comments:
do opposition think that this robot king dare say NO to Hunsen? You got to be a retarded to believe that,,,the dumb king probably has a diarrhea if hun sen yell at his ass...the ting mong is ting mong!
SIHAK MEE NHEE AN HE-FEMALE
6:30 AM
You are right. The opposition should beg Hun Sen rather than the king because he himself has no power to decide.
630am
You're right. The oppositions like Srp and many litle parties should beg Samdach preah bat maha sena decho thipadey Hun Sen varman for their seats rather than a king,
because that king was made by Samdach Preah Bat Maha Sena Decho Thipadey Hun Sen Varman.
Why do we need trash and discarded MONARCHY????? Get rid of the left-over of this piece-of-shit Monarchy!!!!!
Get Lost should you?
Hello. 6:30am and 10:16am I totally agree with both of you.Keep up the good work. USA
All of you are truly correct!
But in order to save face, the King will probably tell SRP to "wait a minute!" followed by a couple of second of silence, then ruled against the SRP.
What is a King without power? Pechearchorn Khmer!
a true PD SIHAMONI i want to fuck HIS anus...
Gentlemen
Monarchy is not JUST a sign or LOGO but an effective system for safety and peace longed for by cambodians.
Neang SA
The King will do whatever Hun Sen want otherwise the monarchy will over like Nepal.
11;24PM. Because of Hun Sen has too much power that is why my people in Cambodia including myself want the monarchy stays. We have to start from something, and hope Hun Sen wake up and smell the coffee that he is immortal not sd-ach Con.
Your opinion is sucked and you cannot do anything besides blabbling left and right.
BUT MONARCHY IS TOILET TISSUE FOR HUN SEN TO WIPE OFF HIS ASS WITH SIHAK MEE NHEE PICTURE PRINT ON IT! LAUGH MY ASS OFF TO AH TRA NGORL OT SEL DING DONG DING DONG...
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