10 new ministers appointed

Gen. Ke Kimyan talks to the press during a visit to his troops in Preah Vihear in late 2008.

Koh Santepheap newspaper
11th March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

Ten new ministers will be appointed to the government positions in an extraordinary session of parliament to be held on 12th March, 2009. At the same time, the parliament will also vote to re-instate Mr. Sam Rainsy's parliamentary immunity which was lifted on 26th February, 2009 for failing to pay fines. Mr. Sam Rainsy paid the fines on the same day as when his immunity was lifted.

In a statement signed by Mr. Leng Peng Long, secretary-general of the National Assembly, the parliament announced the following nominations for appointments:

1. Gen. Ke Kimyan, the sacked Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, will be appoimted as Deputy Prime Minister.

2. Mr. Serey Kosal, defector from the royalist Funcinpec Party, is to be appointed Senior Minister and Government Special Envoy.

3. Mr. Sourn Rachana, to be appointed Secretary of State for Public Works and Transportation, in place of Mr. Kep Thorn who had passed away.

4. Mr. Samraing Kamsan, to be appointed Secretary of State of Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, in place of Mr. Khau Meng Heang who resigned on health reasons.

5. Mr. Hing Thoraksy, to be appointed Secretary of State at the Council of Ministers.

6. Mr. Tek Reth Samrech, to be appointed Secretary of State at the Council of Ministers.

7. Mr. Keo Remy, former vice-president of the Human Right Party, who defected to the CPP, to be appointed Secretary of State at the Council of Ministers.

8. Mr. Chhuon Dara,, to be appointed Secretary of State of Ministry of Commerce.

9. Mr. Ahmad Yahya, defector from the Sam Rainsy Party, to be appointed Secretary of State of Ministry of Social, Veteran and Youth Affairs.

10. Mr. Sam Satha, to be appointed Secretary of State at the Council of Ministers.

Ahmad Yahya hard at work looking for rich Arab countries for Hun Sen to beg

Rich Arab countries should not be overlooked

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Ahmad Yahya, the former SRP MP who defected to the CPP, told the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, on 10 March, that he plans to contact Arab countries to pile up aid for Cambodia, should Hun Sen give him the green light. Ahmad Yahya, a Muslim Cambodian who is now Hun Sen’s advisor, said that he left the opposition only because he wanted to help build the country. He said that, being Muslim, he knows a lot of other foreign Muslims, therefore, the fact that he works for the government now, it is easy for him to contact these foreign Muslims in order to look for aid for Cambodia. He said that up to now, there is a lack of relationships between Cambodia and rich Arab countries. Because of this situation, these countries do not help Cambodia. He said that with good relationships with Arab countries, we could find a lot of funds to develop Cambodia.

From championing for the victims' cause to serving the oppressors

The defectors claim that their former parties are no good

Monday, February 11, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

At the approach of the general election season, there are always talks about high-ranking political party officials defecting to join another party. The majority of these defectors always attack their former party leaders, calling them bad people, weak people, and clannish people. This is the case of two former SRP MPs who defected to the CPP last week, they are now praising the party which they just joined while attacking the party which was their previous home for many years. Ngo Sovann, the former SRP MP who defected to the CPP, told RFA about the reason behind his defection, he claimed that the CPP leaders are good, and they brought progress to the country, that is the reason why he decided to join the CPP, and he also accused the SRP of being clannish and lacks fairness. In the past two weeks, 3 SRP MPs: defected their party to join the CPP, Ahmad Yahya, Sok Pheng and Ngo Sovannthey all talk badly about their former party while praising the CPP which they just joined.