Royals not welcome to bed with Hun Sen in next government ... F'pec to comply with Hun Sen's "order"

Cambodia's ruling party forms coalition, but says royals are out

Wed, 30 Jul 2008
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has ordered the leader of its coalition partner, the royalist Funcinpec Party, to stand down, but will retain the coalition structure, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Wednesday. He said the CPP would form a coalition after Sunday's landslide victory, which sees the CPP take at least 90 of 123 seats - 64 more than it's nearest rival, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP).

Funcinpec plummeted from 26 seats to just two on latest preliminary estimates, but despite the CPP dominance, axing a coalition which has existed since the first democratic elections in 1993 would potentially cause deep political instability.

"Opposition figures who want to join the government have to do so Wednesday or lose out, and we know many do," Kanharith said. "The CPP also orders that current Funcinpec leader Keo Puth Rasmei and his wife Princess Arun Rasmei resign and Nhiek Bun Chhay take over."

Bun Chhay, an army general with the reputation of being a military bulldog, a love of former king Norodom Sihanouk but no royal blood, will be the first non-royal leader of Funcinpec.

After UN-organized elections in 1993, current Prime Minister Hun Sen forced the victorious Funcinpec into forming a coalition with him, but the UN then dictated that half the police force and army should be Funcinpec, as well as numerous government positions.

The CPP retains that coalition to avoid instability, and because it says it is incompatible with the opposition SRP, which snared at least 26 seats at Sunday's polls and is the second most popular party in the country. Funcinpec was expected to comply.

Funcinpec tried to get in bed with the CPP again

Ruling Party Reaches Out to Old Partner

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
30 July 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

The ruling Cambodian People's Party was seeking a partner in its ruling government Wednesday, and officials said it would reach out to its old partner, the fractured royalist party Funcinpec.

CPP officials said Wednesday they would not allow some members of the royal family to join the government, but they would be amenable to adding other members of the party, as the next government faces a potential deadlock after Sunday's vote.

"I met with [Funcinpec Secretary-General] Nhiek Bunchhay yesterday, and I reported to Samdech Hun Sen, and Samdech prime minister will discuss with the party," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said, adding that the coalition could include one party, like Funcinpec, or two.

The overture follows a unified censure of Sunday's polls by four main parties: Sam Rainsy, Human Rights, Norodom Ranariddh and Funcinpec. Analysts say the four parties can keep the government deadlocked if they refuse to be sworn in to the National Assembly within 60 days.

Keo Puth Reaksmey, president of Funcinpec and son-in-law to former king Norodom Sihanouk, and Sisowath Sirirath, second vice president of Funcinpec, would not be acceptable to such a coalition, because they protested the election results, Khieu Kanharith said.

Keo Puth Reaksmey is currently a deputy prime minister, and Sisowath Sirirath is a government adviser. Keo Puth Reaksmey could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and Sisowath Sirirath declined to comment.

Nhiek Bunchhay confirmed the negotiations took place and said Funcinpec was of two opinions.

"I think if we join the coalition, we will gain standing," he said.

But a coalition depends on a decision by Funcinpec's permanent committee, he added.

The CPP claims to have won 90 seats in this election, compared to just 51 in 1993, far more than the number needed to form a single-party government or pass important legislation on its own.

Funcinpec fell to just two seats Sunday, following 58 seats in 1993, 43 in 1998 and 26 in 2003.

Even if Funcinpec has two seats, they can join a government as a partner of CPP, said Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections.

"But the question is how strong Funcinpec will be in the government," he said.