Newly elected members of parliament swore in on Wednesday, in a ceremony presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni, third from left. (REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea)By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 September 2008
Four political parties, including the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, attended a swearing-in ceremony for a new government Wednesday, but the Human Rights Party held fast to promises it would boycott, withholding three elected lawmakers from the process.
The attendance of Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers followed weeks of threats to boycott the ceremony, potentially threatening to deadlock to the government or cost the opposition some positions in the Assembly.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy arrived at the National Assembly building in Phnom Penh's Chamkar Mon district early Wednesday morning for the opening of the Assembly, with King Norodom Sihamoni presiding.
Reporters were barred from the Assembly session, and Sam Rainsy declined to speak to reporters afterward. His party won 26 of 123 National Assembly seats in July's election, second behind the 90 seats won by the Cambodian People's Party.
Sam Rainsy had said before Wednesday's session the election had been fraudulent and had called for a revote while threatening to withhold his candidates from Wednesday's ceremony.
Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay said lawmakers joined the government on Wednesday after Prime Minister Hun Sen promised to have the opposition role officially recognized by the government and to provide a budget for opposition operations.
Hun Sen addressed reporters Wednesday morning.
"All political parties joined the meeting around the king except the Human Rights Party of Kem Sokha," Hun Sen said. "I promised to get the request by Sam Rainsy discussed in the National Assembly ad hoc [committee] to be put in the internal rules."
Human Rights Party lawmakers Kem Sokha, Yem Ponhearith and Ou Chanrith stayed at their headquarters in Phnom Penh Wednesday morning, watching the Assembly ceremony on TV.
"We are following a request from the voters to boycott," HRP President Kem Sokha said by phone.
"The fourth legislative National Assembly meeting is a new opportunity in history for the legislative institution," King Norodom Sihamoni told incoming lawmakers, and it was imperative the Assembly hold Cambodia's interests above all others.
The attendance of Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers followed weeks of threats to boycott the ceremony, potentially threatening to deadlock to the government or cost the opposition some positions in the Assembly.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy arrived at the National Assembly building in Phnom Penh's Chamkar Mon district early Wednesday morning for the opening of the Assembly, with King Norodom Sihamoni presiding.
Reporters were barred from the Assembly session, and Sam Rainsy declined to speak to reporters afterward. His party won 26 of 123 National Assembly seats in July's election, second behind the 90 seats won by the Cambodian People's Party.
Sam Rainsy had said before Wednesday's session the election had been fraudulent and had called for a revote while threatening to withhold his candidates from Wednesday's ceremony.
Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay said lawmakers joined the government on Wednesday after Prime Minister Hun Sen promised to have the opposition role officially recognized by the government and to provide a budget for opposition operations.
Hun Sen addressed reporters Wednesday morning.
"All political parties joined the meeting around the king except the Human Rights Party of Kem Sokha," Hun Sen said. "I promised to get the request by Sam Rainsy discussed in the National Assembly ad hoc [committee] to be put in the internal rules."
Human Rights Party lawmakers Kem Sokha, Yem Ponhearith and Ou Chanrith stayed at their headquarters in Phnom Penh Wednesday morning, watching the Assembly ceremony on TV.
"We are following a request from the voters to boycott," HRP President Kem Sokha said by phone.
"The fourth legislative National Assembly meeting is a new opportunity in history for the legislative institution," King Norodom Sihamoni told incoming lawmakers, and it was imperative the Assembly hold Cambodia's interests above all others.
35 comments:
remember, in a democracy society, the majority rules. the human rights party won only 3 seats, so in a way, they are still a minority, despite having secured 3 representative seats in the national assembly. anyway, i thought i point it out again as i'm sure most people are already aware of this as a rule. god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people.
I'm RIGHT again, Rainsy can't resist the power!... Bark like a dog, when Hun Xen rubbed his head a little bit... he jumped for joy!
Well, just shut the hell up.He can't beat ,he may as well join them.
I'm glad to see Sam Rainsy Party joint the national assembly ceremony. This is not a sign of weakness, as long as he remain standing on his principle. Unlike Rannaridh and Funcinpec, these two parties has no principle to stand on.
It would cost SRP far more greater than not to join the assembly.
Actually, it will cost the country a lot more if they boycott the Assembly like they did last time. Many businesses had suffered and went belly up and causing many jobs lost, but that will not happened again.
Rainsy boycotted just to safe his face after the election and also to test Hun Sen. But he planned to join the swear in from the beginning.
Inside SRP,
4:42 AM,
I agree with you.
Hahahaaaaaa....
Sam Rainsy tricked Kem Sokha not to swear in. Bravo SRP...
Yeah, but I don't think Kem Sokha will take anything from him seriously anymore from him after this. Sam Rainsy's credibility is shot with Kem Sokha among others.
Normally in an election in the Western World, the leader (or leaders) of the party which have been defeated, gracefully recognizes the people verdict and immediately, through the media or by telephone, congratulates the leader of the party that won the majority of the vote. This is part of the democracy and it’s the name of the game. The election committee or the tribunal will deal later with irregularities or fraudulent acts. Cambodians should adopt this healthy attitude. Our democracy is still in it infancy and we understand the frustrations of the oppositions that fought so hard to prevail. As democrats, we should congratulate Sam Rangsy Party for its change of heart and allowing the swear-in ceremony to take place as planned.
Contest the irregularity, but participate in the swear-in as you were elected to do. Bottom line is, you have to accept reality, and that means that CPP will be the dominant power for some time to come. It is not just that CPP has all the advantages, but it also means that as a whole country, Cambodians are not yet ready to let go of the perception (or reality) that CPP is the only protector/rescuer, even though they know there are flaws such as favoring VN and severe corruption with CPP at the helm.
So, what does it all mean? A tremendous opportunity for CPP to do right things and strengthen their lead even further
Don't just preached and can't deliver SRP. And don't fall to CPP's political maneuvers, or your party will peril like others. Follow your party agendas and principles, yet, fulfill your commitments to your constituents. Control and discipline your law makers well when work with (Hanoi) CPP. Watch you back and be brave. I am Khmer in US, and I am proud of your party merits to democrat our motherland. Your brave ambitions are inspired by fellow khmer around the world. We will support you as we are always had. Don't be too overwhelmed and despaired by unfair election process of this election; the world is taken notice of infamous regime in PP. The next election the international community will not oversight the election process and will active more intimately. We, Khmer, have a great hope in your party to pave our nation to Independence state from foreign domination. The next election is your.
CPA from CA
if bark and not bite...is this good, all your shit heads SRP lover?
Yes, yes, yes, ... , Hun Sen wins, Hun Sen wins, Hun Sen wins, ..., yahooooo, ...., horayyy!!!
When you gather all the dumbest asshole in Cambodia, you get the CPP gang.
Yeah, but when you gather the most retarded, you get SRP clan.
6:52 AM, 7:37 AM
If you not on the photo that mean you're still not dumb enough, that means you have to work on it more.
9:28 AM
Don't think too much you will look like ah Chhoy Sim (monkey face).
To those who cheers Hun Sen and his gang, your intelligence really show.
Like "If you don't vote for me I will start a war."
What can you do when the mouth act faster than the brain.
LOL.
Good Cambodian Dogs, in the end everyone has to come to lick Uncle Ho Chi Minh's Ass!!!
...except HRP! Now I am really admired of Kem Sokha's leadership with a true Khmer heart. I truly hope Mr. Kem Sokha and the Human Rights party can rebuild and attract new and true Khmer politicians, and not a bunch of ah Yuon's slaves and nation-sellers!!!
Ah kvak and ah kven ,ah pleu and ah chkout,for the throne he has to be pleu and to be uneducated prime minister (for 30 yrs) it has to be chkout,so a whole damn congress from the top to the bottom no one is better,they all sick ,dear foreigners you better watch this scam country closely before you loose your hard earning money.
9:40 AM
Promoting the vetcong land!
Selling Ho Chi Minh relics for a living?
Not newly,they are the same face,all of them are dictators!!!
They are murders and the head are younHanoi and the body is khmer!!!
Look all those monkeys in the picture, can't even stand on real ground, how can they protect the land.
Do you think supporting one dictator to be a king for 29+10 years is the right thing for Cambodia?
Why Cambodians changed five regimes since 1970? Changes is the solution for stability and peace.
Don't try to mock on the loser too much. Nothing is last forever as the buddha said about "Anata".
Don't forget that CPP can cheat young voters about Anti-Thai sentiment this time.
But not again in 2013.
Also, Kith Meng is the future Thaksin and therefore, Hun Sen will kill him one day. And Kith Meng will know in advance and so he will use pre-emptive strike in return.
Remember young students are often chatting and showing mobile phone during Hun Sen's speeches at universities.
I have network with more than 10 universities. I am very sure.
Do you think supporting one dictator to be a king for 29+10 years is the right thing for Cambodia?
Why Cambodians changed five regimes since 1970? Changes is the solution for stability and peace.
Don't try to mock on the loser too much. Nothing lasts forever as the buddha said about "Anata".
Don't forget that CPP can cheat young voters about Anti-Thai sentiment this time.
But not again in 2013.
Also, Kith Meng is the future Thaksin and therefore, Hun Sen will kill him one day. And Kith Meng will know in advance and so he will use pre-emptive strike in return.
Remember young students are often chatting and showing mobile phone during Hun Sen's speeches at universities.
I have network with more than 10 universities. I am very sure.
Doch anh tha icheung, ah chhkae na ko doch ah chhkae na, ah kdo na ko doch ah kdo na dae. Nis chea peak taing pi samay Lon Nol mok mles. Puok ahaeng teang 3 sot tae ah khuor kbal yuon prom teang sdach phleu 1 teat. Mean a yuon hok lundy, ah yuon tea banh, mi yuon kong socheat, mi yuon yuk chenda ning mi yuon neak cham reang mneak teat dael anh min cham chhmuos vea. Puok ahaeng mi ngaeng ning vineas mdong muoy daoy sa tumneay robos reas.
I agree with 4:28am.
SRP has joint the ceremony is a sign of weakness for the party. I believe and trust Sam Rainsy whole heartly that what cpp offer to his party must be in the best interest of Cambodia, Cambodian and his party future. I wish him and his party the best of luck.
Thank to the CPP for protect Khmer from all infidels (Ah Khmer-Oversea) and Khmer Rouge II (Ah Scam Rainxy).
1:17PM You are on the west! Go out from this forum.
CPP has given nothing to srok khmer. Corruption, robery, stupid government... a lot bad things i can say to them!
Yeah, but that is because you are blind and hallucinating.
Kem Sokha was secretly told by PM Hun Sen not to attend the ceremony in an effort to foster a mistrust, which will delude and deceive the SRP party; also, it will eventually split them (in favor of the ruling party). The strategy was formulated and devised by PM Hun Sen's advisors.
Former CPP member high-ranking official
These people are no body, but the Vietmihn lapdogs elected by the Communist Party to destroy the fabric of Cambodian society.
Nice theory, it should be great for Hollywood.
Why Musharaf of Pakistan, the man who had strong military and supported from Superpower and muslim world still resigned peacefully?
Is he nationalist?
We don't expect Hun Sen to resign, but he should open to free and fair election. He should not crack down on his Khmer opponents without mercy like this.
Buying votes, cheating and intimidating by Ruling party in 1960s still brought instability and civil war.
Sihanouk even used to get more than 90% and killed his opponents, Cambodia faced only even more uprising and chaos.
CPP just less then 70% of real votes by surprising 50 seats from anti-Thai sentiment.
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