Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 2/02/2009: Lu Laysreng, former Minister of Rural Development and current First Deputy President at FUNCINPEC, with NRP president Chhim Siek Leng, toasting after the NRP (Norodom Ranariddh Party) and FUNCINPEC MoU ceremony at the FUNCINPEC headquarters. (Photo: John Vink/ Magnum)Royalist Parties Look To Unite for 2013
By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
16 March 2010
The royalist Funcinpec party is hoping to merge with its rival, the former eponymous party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to contest national elections in 2013, an official said Tuesday.
The two parties each won two seats in the National Assembly after an internal dispute that ended in division.
“We have seen that the division made us lose voices, forces and lose time,” said Keo Put Reaksmey, president of Funcinpec. “Mathematically, if we were in unity [during the last general election] we would have won more seats.”
The Norodom Ranarridh Party is now called the Nationalist Party, and is currently only in discussion with Funcinpec over merging, he said.
Led by Norodom Ranarridh, Funcinpec was a major victor in the 1993 national elections, with 58 of 120 National Assembly seats, following by the Cambodian People’s Party, which won 51. In 2008, by contrast, the CPP won 90 of 123 seats, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party’s 26.
By 2006, Funcinpec was deeply fragmented. It then split, with Norodom Ranariddh forming his own party from exile, having been found guilty for corruption.
A merging of the two rivals seems a long way off, but Keo Put Reaksmey said the two were “lobbying each other” for a compromise.
And before they are able to join in national elections, they will have to cooperate for commune elections in 2012.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said he appreciated the intent to merger, but said the process has been “too slow.”
The two parties each won two seats in the National Assembly after an internal dispute that ended in division.
“We have seen that the division made us lose voices, forces and lose time,” said Keo Put Reaksmey, president of Funcinpec. “Mathematically, if we were in unity [during the last general election] we would have won more seats.”
The Norodom Ranarridh Party is now called the Nationalist Party, and is currently only in discussion with Funcinpec over merging, he said.
Led by Norodom Ranarridh, Funcinpec was a major victor in the 1993 national elections, with 58 of 120 National Assembly seats, following by the Cambodian People’s Party, which won 51. In 2008, by contrast, the CPP won 90 of 123 seats, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party’s 26.
By 2006, Funcinpec was deeply fragmented. It then split, with Norodom Ranariddh forming his own party from exile, having been found guilty for corruption.
A merging of the two rivals seems a long way off, but Keo Put Reaksmey said the two were “lobbying each other” for a compromise.
And before they are able to join in national elections, they will have to cooperate for commune elections in 2012.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said he appreciated the intent to merger, but said the process has been “too slow.”
14 comments:
FUNCINPECH leaders are wrong, they always act the contrary of what they should, they exclude instead of collect their members and supporters.
The ultimate goal of Sihanouk ?
It is so sad for me to see this. A bunch of grumpy old men trying to be relevance...greed and power hunger brough them down.
crooks kantop ass and culture
It is the end of the road now, Mr Royalists. You are done.
If had not been involvement in corruption severely and misbehaved by those leaders out of MORALES,including Noranorith,royalists would have been strong until today.
Quite obvious,cambodians were relying on FUNCINPEC,but the crooks killed it.And as so many said IT IS FAR TOO LATE now.
You,too old people will never change,and so many crippled with hypertension and diabetes,not to mention about possible AIDS.
Pack the bag,and die with your concience without cheating cambodians NO LONGER.
Aurevoir!!
Kaun khmer
These people are a bunch of shit. they sucumb to be the puppet's puppet.
They got rich through political career in Cambodia after returning from overseas as former refugees. Example kong vibol, khau meng hean, lay prohok, oeur hunly, niev sithong, ung huot or uot heung, ah Lay sreng, ah siek leng etc are all corrupt and love sex with poor girls in Cambodia. At overseas they work as casual interpreters, farms picking fruits or factory labourers.
Lu Laysreng,this mother fucker is corrupt as fuck. Father in law works for him.
rotten in hell fucker!!!
WINNER TAKES ALL!
It doesnt matter what they are going to do they will be slaves to CPP anyway . No one ever hear anything from NRP and FUNSINPEC because they are there to raise hands to support CPP .
Dog will be dog.
5:35AM,
Very true! Beside SRP, all other oppositions are sold out to CPP. Why? Because SRP is the only party that always in trouble with Hun Sen, CPP. Meaning they are opposing Hun Sen's wrong doing while the rest agreeing to Hun Sen.
these so-called Funcinpec party members are there for a drink or two or three...they have no understanding of how to project their political platform to resolve khmer issues. In addition, they show up at their party headquarters only to gossip about who's the hottest girl in phnom penh or whose wife is cheating with whom, etc. It's no wonder that their party has not gained supports from khmer people and has never won a majority vote. They are more or less scums of society.
well well the nings and the nongs are at it again. who do they think they are fooling - the pings and the pongs? bunch of ningnongs.
in order to be successful in life, you have to change your way of thinking as well, really! call for a slight paradigm shift, ok, for it will be good for future of cambodia. meaning, if something is not working in the past, you change to a different way, ok! common sense, too, you know!
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