Hun Sen showed his anger to Sam Rainsy whom he accused of insulting him during the election campaign.Monday, 04 August 2008
Ly Menghour
The Mekong Times
In their first public exchange of words since the national election, Prime Minister Hun Sen warned opposition leader Sam Rainsy against his party boycotting the soon to be formed National Assembly (NA), warning the seats would simply be divided among other parties.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won an estimated 90 seats in the July 27 election. The Sam Rainy Party (SRP) thought it had increased its minority by two to 26, but it has disputed the results, claiming that up to a million voters were disenfranchised.
“If the SRP boycotts the NA, the 26 seats the SRP won will be divided among other parties,” said the premier to Sam Rainsy while they were seeing off former King Sihanouk to Beijing at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday.
Hun Sen added that while he welcomes the slight increase in votes for the SRP, that the party should now accept the election results.
“On September 24, the NA plans to convene a meeting to swear in. If you do not swear in [its new lawmakers] … your seats will be divided among others,” Hun Sen said.
Sam Rainsy responded with a smile, saying: “My party represents the votes of two million.”
“Two million! But you don’t plan to attend the parliamentary session! You are using this fact to prevent the session? You wait and see if I am right,” warned the premier.
Hun Sen then described the adhoc alliance formed by the SRP, the Norodom Ranariddh Party and Human Rights Party to dispute the election results as “demonic.”
“You want to accuse me. Please go ahead. But I just use rights to defend myself. Now the election has been already conducted … and I have 90 seats.”
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay said that the party is currently busy gathering evidence about irregularities in the election and demanding that the government find solutions for the disenfranchised.
“We don’t have time to decide if we will attend the NA session or not,” he said, dismissing Hun Sen’s remarks as a threat.
If the SRP’s seats are allocated to others, “it is not right according to law and inappropriate according to the principles of democracy,” added Son Chhay.
“The SRP is protesting the election results as it wants respect for democratic principles and law and a balance in power between the government and the NA,” Son Chhay added.
Sok Sam Oeun, president of Cambodian Defenders Project, said if the SRP refused to attend the NA’s inaugural session that the National Election Committee (NEC) can legally take its seats and divide them among other parties.
“But if [we] do so, it is contrary to the principles of democracy, because the party which has seats in the NA represents people. If people’s supportive votes are divided to other parties, it is not proper.”
Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, added that along with losing its seats, the SRP’s name would be struck from the nation’s list of political parties if it relinquishes its seats in the NA.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won an estimated 90 seats in the July 27 election. The Sam Rainy Party (SRP) thought it had increased its minority by two to 26, but it has disputed the results, claiming that up to a million voters were disenfranchised.
“If the SRP boycotts the NA, the 26 seats the SRP won will be divided among other parties,” said the premier to Sam Rainsy while they were seeing off former King Sihanouk to Beijing at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday.
Hun Sen added that while he welcomes the slight increase in votes for the SRP, that the party should now accept the election results.
“On September 24, the NA plans to convene a meeting to swear in. If you do not swear in [its new lawmakers] … your seats will be divided among others,” Hun Sen said.
Sam Rainsy responded with a smile, saying: “My party represents the votes of two million.”
“Two million! But you don’t plan to attend the parliamentary session! You are using this fact to prevent the session? You wait and see if I am right,” warned the premier.
Hun Sen then described the adhoc alliance formed by the SRP, the Norodom Ranariddh Party and Human Rights Party to dispute the election results as “demonic.”
“You want to accuse me. Please go ahead. But I just use rights to defend myself. Now the election has been already conducted … and I have 90 seats.”
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay said that the party is currently busy gathering evidence about irregularities in the election and demanding that the government find solutions for the disenfranchised.
“We don’t have time to decide if we will attend the NA session or not,” he said, dismissing Hun Sen’s remarks as a threat.
If the SRP’s seats are allocated to others, “it is not right according to law and inappropriate according to the principles of democracy,” added Son Chhay.
“The SRP is protesting the election results as it wants respect for democratic principles and law and a balance in power between the government and the NA,” Son Chhay added.
Sok Sam Oeun, president of Cambodian Defenders Project, said if the SRP refused to attend the NA’s inaugural session that the National Election Committee (NEC) can legally take its seats and divide them among other parties.
“But if [we] do so, it is contrary to the principles of democracy, because the party which has seats in the NA represents people. If people’s supportive votes are divided to other parties, it is not proper.”
Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, added that along with losing its seats, the SRP’s name would be struck from the nation’s list of political parties if it relinquishes its seats in the NA.
13 comments:
Did the reporter actually hear the exchange of words beween the two?
The photo seems to show no anger. Would Sar Kheng smile in front of his boss who was reported to be angry? Would you? Would anyone?
Kuoy Pichet
If SRP brave enough, let the CPP take all the seats won by SRP, and see what happens? rather than just join and latter their MP immunity lifted. The CPP may arrest all of them but let them do it.
The difference between H.E. Saim Rainsy and Mr. Hun Sen is that H.E. Saim Rainsy is an international figure and Mr. Hun Sen is not. In other words, Mr. big fish (Hun Sen)-- and the rest of his entourages -- can merely play in small ponds, whereas his archrival H.E. Saim Rainsy can easily play in an open water with no problems, which explains why the presense of H.E. Saim Rainsy makes Mr. Hun Sen like a loser idiot.
God bless all Khmer and its motherland!
Khmer farmer (Hun Sen former advisor)
i'd like to see more of this hunsen stupid guster. please post if you have more. Thank you.
Must be in the Cambodian constitution for a prime minister to dismantle an elected MPs (SRP) that was elected by the people.
Meaning Hun Sen saying to the voters that your the election and the people votes mean nothing...
So SRP could do the same as Hun Sen and dismantle CPP proclaimed 90 setas and re-distributed to other parties.
Yeah right, I am seeing no anger showing from HUN SEN.
Please no exxageration cause picture means alot of story.
The top politicians shook hands and us the ordinary citizen are fighting each other?
Please stop exxagerate the story.
I think it is about time that Khmer and Khmer working together so we can fight the Thai now.
United we stand, divided we lost.
Khmer abroad,
Lowell, MA (USA)
Sour looser! Yes time to go forward and let divede the seats if they don't come, make other parties happy!
Mr Hun Sen is right we may loose one party but we may gain 20 more! every paties may have a seat and Cambodia will have more open democracy for 20 or 21 parties in the assembly. It is a very smart move, even a republican can have a seat!
Dump one get 20!!! What 's a move.
Hey! Hun Xen may want all the SRP seats for his family or his friends from Hanoi!
Good luck CPP!
Ok give all to FUNCINPEC since it still has enough people to fill the spot! And it look good to go to bed with CPP.
OK! let bring Ranarith in so he can sell those 26 seats! What about that Hun Xen? Ranarith can get you more money!
Hey stop fighting amongst ourself. Lets kick the Thai!!
Khmer Pride,
Hey Hun Xen, do not listen to 10:19PM!
ranarith can have afair with your old witch! While Hor Nam Hon do your daughter!
Ever heard about their reputation stupid?
Fuck You all whoever vote for Ah Khvak. Ah Hun Zen will kill you all one be one.
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