Wednesday March 11st, 2009PHNOM PENH (AFP)--Cambodia's parliament has restored opposition leader Sam Rainsy's immunity from prosecution after he paid a fine for defaming premier Hun Sen's party, a lawmaker said Wednesday.
The politician was stripped of his protection last month after accusing the Cambodian People's Party, or CPP, of corruption during elections last year and then failing to pay a $2,500 fine.
His Sam Rainsy Party eventually paid the fine to the country's National Election Committee hours after his immunity was lifted.
Lawmaker Cheam Yeap said the parliamentary permanent committee had voted Tuesday to restore parliamentary protection to Sam Rainsy.
"Immunity of Sam Rainsy has been restored," Cheam Yeap said.
The opposition leader, who is abroad, had called the removal his immunity "unconstitutional," saying under Cambodia's charter, at least two-thirds of lawmakers were needed to approve stripping legal protection of a parliamentarian.
However Cheam Yeap said the decision was made in accordance with the law.
The CPP took 90 seats of the 123 up for grabs in the July ballot, while the Sam Rainsy Party received 26 seats.
The politician was stripped of his protection last month after accusing the Cambodian People's Party, or CPP, of corruption during elections last year and then failing to pay a $2,500 fine.
His Sam Rainsy Party eventually paid the fine to the country's National Election Committee hours after his immunity was lifted.
Lawmaker Cheam Yeap said the parliamentary permanent committee had voted Tuesday to restore parliamentary protection to Sam Rainsy.
"Immunity of Sam Rainsy has been restored," Cheam Yeap said.
The opposition leader, who is abroad, had called the removal his immunity "unconstitutional," saying under Cambodia's charter, at least two-thirds of lawmakers were needed to approve stripping legal protection of a parliamentarian.
However Cheam Yeap said the decision was made in accordance with the law.
The CPP took 90 seats of the 123 up for grabs in the July ballot, while the Sam Rainsy Party received 26 seats.
18 comments:
I cannot understand how ignorance they are to represente Cambodian in Cambodian parliament. When they striped Sam Rainsy immunity, have they taken away anything from Mr Sam Ransy? Nothing? Now they give back immunity to Sam ransy. Has Mr Sam ransy received anything? nothing? Nothing has represented as immunity for Mr Sam Ransy to wear to show public that he has immunity at all. None of all members of Parliament has worn any signage that he or she has immunity at all. All their immunity are really untouchable and invisable. Each member of Parliament has got authomatically their immunity through their election to the member of Parliament. Therefore only after loosing next general election, each member can loose their immunity. People must wake up !!!
Mr Sam Rainsy is an opposition party leader. His status is higher than Chairman of National Assembly. He is equally deserved the same respect and the same security as Hun Sen. If he deserves less than something wrong with all lawmakers in Cambodia. Areak Prey
It's interesting how Ah Scam Rainxy got so nervous and scared without his stupid immunity. How can this type of person ever become any type of leader. I guess it can only happened in the the US, UK, ..., or NZ, hahahah, LOL, hahahaha, ROFLMAO, ...
Pu Areak Prey, what is so great about opposition party leader? i thought everyone can declare himself as one? if the immunity is really that "NOTHING" then why sam rainsy is so scared of losing it? It just doesn't make sense.
A passer-by on the PP street..
i urge everyone here try to understand the basic law and what it means the deputy immunity. without this knowledge, that is why we see the comment like the first one in this blog.
They wanted to removes his immunity, just to get rid of him. They are quilty as usual. They are killer,not government official or law abiding citizens. Down with those who are currupted.
Sam Rainsy has been so brave to play politics in wild environment of Cambodia. In Cambodia, I guarantee, if we don't have a strong and brave opposition leader like Sam Rainsy, Cambodia will be easily falling into absolute dictatorship. Now, Cambodia is led by absolutist as well, but it is better because their is still having opposition party.
However, Sam Rainsy's political rhetoric should be adjusted and spoken in more productive way, don't follow or imitate Hun Sen's unproductive political rhetoric.
Sam Rainsy perceived well that NEC's lawsuit against him is just politically oriented one. And he stated several times that those amount of money is not huge for him as he always donated for social charity more than that. But he has waited to see that how NEC will play its neutral role. So, this case shows us again, the evidence that, NEC is not neutral at all.
Second thing is the major voice of assembly. Assembly exists only physical appearance, but inside that assembly power is controlled by one man absolutist. Hun Sen intimidated Sam Rainsy and assembly followed Hun Sen like a very clever dog.
Like I mentioned previously, Cambodia's political game of election and assembly are just the "clown" of Hun Sen's power thirst. It is not better off to develop democracy at all. Hun Sen himself has no willingness to develop anything better if his own power thirst is not facilitated for him. Of course, only Hun Sen and his cronies who want Cambodia to move in this way. There are many other CPP's elites, opposition parties, and Cambodian peoples who are wanting change, and accruing genuine democracy development for future Cambodia.
Currently, major public praise Hun Sen for his credits of stopping KR, war and facing with territorial conflict with Thailand, but if this theory shows something truth about the trick of Hun Sen, you might think in opposite way. I don't tell you that true, you can figure out by your own.
KY
Stop flip-flopping and make up your mind Ah Khmer-Yuon (Ky): Is Cambodia a Dictatorship country or not?
We know that Hun Sen is dictatotor.
We also know that Sam Ransy is brave.
But still one should not say words just to make the mad man get mad and don't get nothing out of it but downgrading yourself.
For words spoken out can not be brought back, as a leader of a political party with so many brave and innocent supporters behind, one should be very careful for what he or she say and don't ever put your destiny in the hand of your rival. I doubt HS will order HS order to do anything to provent from giving immunity back to SR.
the ramnants of the good olden days, i guess. see, if previous society treated people fairly and educated everyone fairly with equal educatational opportunity etc, then we wouldn't see this type of problem today! so, it was all injustice, even in the previous society even going back before the KR era. it's called inequality, to say the least. so, stop complain, bitching and whining; you get what you put into it! that said, however, cambodia is definitely changed a lot since then, of course! god bless cambodia.
Dear Poster 5:02PM,
I am not a pro-Sam Rainsy party nor as a member. But I found Cambodian parliament has continued to violate the constitution and to ignore that opposition party leader is also one of the Stateman. Why it is important to be opposition party leader? This opposition leader has to be elected into the parliament as a member and his party has to be the second largest party in the parliament. In a multi-parties parliament, opposition party leader is the No 3 important statemen of the country. He deserves the same respect and the protection from National security. He should have earnt more monies than all ministers of the government. He deserves also parliamentarian fund for his party works. When I saw Cambodia parliament members ignoring their constitution and the basic law of multi-party system, I am so amused with all ignorance people who wanted to represente Cambodia in their parliament when they cannot even understand the basic laws. Areak Prey
Don't listen to Ah Commie (2:57). In our democracy society, the majority rule. We will not be drag into Hell by a small minority radical extremists (Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy).
Cambodian parliament will a farm of animals like yourself poster 3:33AM. You must be one of the vietcong in this forum. What has Sam Rainsy done to damage Cambodia?
I don't care Sam Ransy or any, what I care is the rule of laws. A county needs to be with rule of laws. The parliament needs to people with basic knowledge of laws otherwise foreigners with laugh to Cambodian 2000 history for having only animals like to represente Cambodian. Areak Prey
Areak Prey is 100% correct.
his comment should be something we should always read.
Dear Poster 4:19AM,
I have been involved with many local and national elections in overseas. I may noy have written properly in this forum as my eyes have problem with my age. I have been with the same panel with all political leaders to debate policies in foreign country many times. I won't be bully by anyone at all. My face is very thick in skin. I found cambodia is moving round and round without a good direction in which Cambodian people can have confidence with their leadership. At present, Cambodia is totally controled by communist and dictatorship. only a few people dare to stand up with their ideas and vision. Many of Cambodian are opportunists and gold diggers. Cambodia is a long way to catch up with the rest of the world. As I said before. If Cambodia is a truelly democratic, they should understood the role of Opposition party. The national budget of the parliamment should share among all parties in the parliament by the numbers of seats of each party has. THe Chairman of National Assembly is just a faciliator of the House. He is not comparable to the opposition leader. I am not his supporter. But we must face with our reality. He deseves much more than people can expect. As I said before that he is the No 3 of Cambodian Statemen. But for the government, they will rank King, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers and then all ministers. Areak Prey
Pu Areak Prey.. ok ok but can you please write the proper English?
How can he? He's just a dumb and stupid Potato digger in NZ.
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party
Khmer Revolution Party
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples from 1975 to 1979 in Cambodia.
You're support the killing at least twelve innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997 Grenade Attack in Cambodia.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing in Cambodia.
You're support attempted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruptions in Cambodia.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire).
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin was a former Khmer Rouge commanders.
Now, Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge leaders, since their leader (Pol Pot) is dead.
From 1975 to 1979, these Khmer Rouge commanders responsible for killing 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples in Cambodia.
From 1980 to present, these Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for killing innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997, assassinated journalists, political assassination and killing, murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire) and attempted assassinate and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Tribunal?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Torture
Execution
Massacre
Atrocity
War Crimes
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvation
Overwork to Death
Slavery
Rape
Abuse
Assault and Battery
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Regime had committed:
Assassination
Murder
Killing
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Intimidation
Death Threat
Threatening
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Mass Eviction
Land Grabbing
Corruptions
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Acid Attacks
Injustice
Steal Votes
Violate the Constitution
These are the Trade Marks of Hun Sen's Khmer Rouge Regime.
Under Hun Sen Regime, no criminals that has been committed murder and all other crimes within Hun Sen's government ever been brought to justice.
Information change without notice as it become available.
Dear Poster 5:02PM,
I am now running an insurance businesses covering from House, car, business, life, health, and many others.
In Charity, I am helping refugees taking in by NZ government each year of 750 people with their mental problems. You can visite at www.Aucklandras.org.nz and also at www.cambodian.org.nz
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