Thursday, October 30, 2008

Rainsy faces pay freeze over campaign remarks

Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Written by Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post


The National Assembly is to consider a request from the NEC that it cut off the political opposition leader’s salary for his 'insulting' election comments

THE National Election Committee has requested that Cambodia's parliament cut off lawmaker Sam Rainsy's salary after the opposition leader failed to pay a US$2,500 fine for insulting leaders of the ruling Cambodian People's Party during this year's national election campaign.

In a letter to Assembly President Heng Samrin, the NEC said Sam Rainsy had yet to be punished for violating electoral law during campaigning.

The fine resulted from speeches given by Sam Rainsy referring to a report by the environmental watchdog Global Witness on illegal logging, which implicated a number of high-ranking officials and relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen in corrupt activities.

The report, titled Cambodia's Family Trees, was banned in Cambodia following its publication in January 2007.

"In order to guarantee electoral legitimacy, the NEC would like to request that the president of the National Assembly cut off the salary of Sam Rainsy and transfer the money into the national budget," the NEC said in the letter.

CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Tuesday that any request to cut a parliamentarian's pay would be considered by the Assembly's standing committee.

"If there is an official request to the Assembly, the standing committee will consider ... whether Rainsy's salary should be cut," he said.

Parliamentarians make an average of US$2,000 a month.

SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann said that the NEC must guarantee its independence rather than target opposition lawmakers. "The NEC has no right to request the Assembly to cut off individual parliamentarians' salaries," he said.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why did you guys insult these sons of a bitch CPP dogs?

Oops. I insult them too.

Anonymous said...

these fucking youn shit can't take the true remark , they are happy to see Khmer dying ...

Anonymous said...

Yes we are not only insult these son of the bitch,we will kill that son of the bitch if it not step down because CPP piece of shit never bring Cambodia to the right direction anyway.
Go down ah NEC and ah CPP mother fucker slave.

Anonymous said...

This is so fucken ridiculous to cut Mr. Sam Rainsy salary for insulting the CPP! So the CPP officials never insult Mr. Sam Rainsy before? Is that right? If CPP can kill, can intimidate, can oppress the opposition party and I don’t see why the CPP can not insult Mr. Sam Rainsy!

Anonymous said...

The CPP government pay is too low any way. To freezes or cut pay is a joke regardless. Plus it an insult to get a pay so low. Better off for the SRP and HRP continue to recieve support from true khmer and khmer around the world.

Cambodia is this way nowaday especially cause of the dictatorship from vietnam. Now, thai also want a piece of cambodia.

Khmer need to unite even more and uses the international law avialable to regain true soverienty.

No unity, no demand. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. ( future slave to youn, and siem if fail ) Look at khmer krom now ?

Anonymous said...

Khmer people don't need opposition party helping CPP.