Sihanouk is actively involved in politics: Nhiek Bun Chhay

លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ ឲ្យ​សម្តេច​ក្រុមព្រះ​ដោះស្រាយ​ជាមួយ​សម្តេច​តេជោ ឲ្យ​ជ្រះស្រឡះ​សិន បើ​ចង់​រួម​ជាមួយ​ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​

ថ្ងៃទី 6 កក្កដា 2012
ដោយ: រតនា
Cambodia Express News

Synopsis: According to Nheik Bun Chhay, the merger between Funcinpec and the NRP was done through requests made by King-Ta [Sihanouk] and the prime minister [Hun Xen].

ភ្នំពេញ: លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ ប្រធាន​ប្រតិបត្តិ​គណបក្ស​ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច បាន​ប្រាប់​ឲ្យ​សម្តេចក្រុម​ព្រះ ​នរោត្តម រណឫទ្ធិ ទៅ​និយាយ​ដោះស្រាយ ឲ្យបាន​ច្បាស់លាស់​ ជាមួយនឹង​សម្តេច​តេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ជា​មុន​សិន មុន​នឹង​សុំ​មក​ចូលរួម​ជាមួយ​នឹង​គណ​បក្ស​ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិចឡើង​វិញ​នោះ​។​

​លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ ប្រធាន​ប្រតិបត្តិ នៃ​គណបក្ស​ហ្វ៊ុន​ស៊ិនប៉ិច បាន​លើកឡើង​ថា មកដល់ពេលនេះ សម្តេចក្រុមព្រះ នៅតែ​មិន​ព្រម​ទទួលស្គាល់​ថា ប្រជាប្រិយភាព​របស់​ព្រះអង្គ​ធ្លាក់​ចុះ​ទេ ពីព្រោះ​អ្នកតស៊ូ​ជាច្រើន នៅតាម​បណ្តា​ខេត្ត​-​ក្រុង លែង​គាំទ្រ​សម្តេចក្រុមព្រះ​បន្តទៀត ហើយ​ចំណុច​សំខាន់ គឺ​គេ​ស្អប់​សម្តេចក្រុមព្រះ​។​

​លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ បាន​មានប្រសាសន៍​បញ្ជាក់​បន្ត​ថា ការរួបរួម​រវាង​គ​ណ​បក្ស​ហ្វ៊ុន​ស៊ិនប៉ិច ដែល​ឈានទៅដល់​ការចុះ​កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ នៅ​ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​នោះ គឺ​ដោយសារតែ​មាន​សំណូមពរ​ពី​សម្តេច​តា និង​សម្តេច​នាយក​។

​លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ បាន​មានប្រសាសន៍​បញ្ជាក់​ថា “​ការរួបរួម​នេះ ខ្ញុំ​អត់​មាន​ស្អី​ទាំងអស់ គឺជាសំណូមពរ​ពី​សម្តេច​តា សម្តេចនាយក​។ សម្តេច​នាយក​គាត់​លើក​មក​ខ្ញុំ​។ ខ្ញុំ​ថា ខ្ញុំ​តាម​ទាំងអស់ ។ ខ្ញុំ​ចង់​បាន​ឲ្យសម្តេចនាយក លោក​រៀបចំ​អី​ៗទាំងអស់​ជូន ហើយ​សម្តេច​ក្រុមព្រះ មក​ធ្វើ​ប្រធាន​។ តែ​អ្នក​នៅ​ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​ខ្ញុំ​ខ្លះ គេ​មិន​ទទួល​ទេ​ណា​។ ប៉ុន្តែ​ជា​ការសម្រេចចិត្ត​ខាង​នយោបាយ ខ្ញុំ​ជា​អ្នកដឹកនាំ ខ្ញុំ​ជា​អ្នកសម្រេចចិត្ត ទោះបីជា​អ្នក​នៅ​ជាមួយ​ខ្ញុំ គេ​មិន​គាំទ្រ​ប៉ុន្មាន​ក៏ដោយ​។ ខ្ញុំ​ខំ​ពន្យល់​គេ​ឲ្យទទួល​លោក ឲ្យមក​ធ្វើ​ជា​ប្រធាន​ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​ឡើងវិញ​”​។​

សម្តាចម៏តេជោសុនខ ហៅ ម្ចាស់ថាប់ ថា ជាឆ្កែកន្ទុយខ្វៀន - A dog eat dog world!

Who is the dog when they all come from the same litter?

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី​ សោកស្ដាយ ចំពោះការ បែកបាក់ រវាងនរោត្ដម រណឫទ្ធិ និង ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិន ប៉ិច


Tuesday, 26 June 2012
ដោយ ៖ ស៊ន សុភក្ដ្រ
DAP-news

ភ្នំពេញ ៖ នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី បានសម្ដែងនូវ ការសោកស្ដាយ និង ក្ដៅចិត្ដផង ចំពោះ ការបែក បាក់សាជាថ្មី នៃសម្ព័ន្ធភាពរវាង គណបក្សទាំងពីរ គឺគណបក្សនរោត្ដមរណឫទ្ធិ និង គណបក្សហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច ដែលការចងសម្ព័ន្ធភាពរវាងគណបក្សទាំងពីរនេះ ពីព្រោះ សម្ដេចជាអ្នកខិតខំ ក្នុងការ សម្របសម្រួល ។

ទាក់ទិនការបែកបាក់សាជាថ្មី រវាងគណ បក្សរាជានិយមទាំងពីរនេះ សម្ដេចនាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន បានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា គណបក្ស នរោត្ដមរណឫទ្ធិ ចង់អូសទាញគណ បក្ស ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច ឱ្យប្រឆាំងនឹងរដ្ឋាភិបាល ដូច្នេះវានាំឱ្យខូចរដ្ឋាភិបាលចម្រុះ ដែលសម្ដេច មិនអាច ទទួលយកបាននោះទេ ។

សម្ដេចតេជោ ក៏បានចាត់ទុក នរោត្ដមរណឫទ្ធិថា ជាឆ្កែកន្ទុយខ្វៀន នៅតែ ខ្វៀន ហើយចង់ឱ្យហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច លោកញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ ជេររដ្ឋាភិបាលដូចខ្លួន ។

សម្ដេចហ៊ុន សែន ក៏បានពន្យុះឱ្យគណ បក្សមួយនេះ ធ្វើជាបក្សប្រឆាំង ពីព្រោះអាងអីគំរាមចូលបក្ស ប្រឆាំង បើប្រឆាំងមិនបាន១០០ភាគរយ ក៏ប្រឆាំងបានត្រឹម ៥០ភាគរយដែរ ៕

No fun in Funcinpec merger

Prince Norodom Ranariddh speaks to reporters at his house in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post

Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

In the latest from a souring political relationship that is beginning to resemble a teenage breakup, the head of the Norodom Ranariddh Party said yesterday the planned union with Funcinpec, agreed to less than a month ago, was kaput.

“I have already written a letter to [Prime Minister Hun Sen] telling him about the reason that I cannot continue merging with” Funcinpec, Norodom Ranariddh said at a press conference in his home.

The two royalist parties had initially agreed to unite on May 24, a move encouraged by Hun Sen, but the blooming relationship quickly wilted.

At his home, Ranariddh laid blame for the failure on differences between him and the president of Funcinpec, Nhek Bun Chhay, who accused Ranariddh on Monday of harbouring support for unnamed opposition parties.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Skeletons

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Nhiek Bun Chhay scared that Ranariddh would use the united Funcinpec party to work with Sam Rainsy

នរោត្តម រណឬទ្ធិ​ និង​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​បែកបាក់​គ្នា​ជាថ្មី​និងជា​លើកចុង​ក្រោយ​

ថ្ងៃ អង្គារ 19 មិថុនា 2012
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
Radio France Internationale

ព្រះអង្គ​ម្ចាស់​នរោត្តម រណឬទ្ធិ ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​បាន​ប្រកាស​ដក​ព្រះកាយ បញ្ចប់​ការ​ការ​រួបរួម​ជាមួយ​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​នេះ ​ហើយ​បាន​ទម្លាក់​ការ​ទទួល​ខុសត្រូវ​ទាំងស្រុង​ទៅ​លើ​លោក​ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ​ ប្រធាន​ប្រតិបត្តិ​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច។​ លោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ​វិញ​បាន​ថ្លែង​សោកស្តាយ​ចំពោះ​ការ​សម្រេច​ចិត្ត​របស់​ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់​រណឬទ្ធិ។

មិន​អាច​ទៅ​រួច​ឡើយ ការ​រស់នៅ​រួមគ្នា​វិញ​រវាង​សត្រូវ​បងប្អូន​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច ​និង​នរោត្តម រណឬទ្ធិ។

បើ​ទោះ​ជាការ រួមគ្នា​ចុងក្រោយ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៤​ឧសភា​ត្រូវ​បាន​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​ក្រោម​ការ​សម្រប​សម្រួល​របស់​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ហ៊ុន សែន​ក៏​ដោយ ប៉ុន្តែ​វា​បាន​រលាយ​ទៅវិញ​បាត់​ហើយ។

នៅ​ក្នុង​សន្និសីទ​កាសែត​មួយ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ដំណាក់​របស់​ព្រះអង្គ​ក្នុង​បុរី​ឧទ្យាន​បាសាក់​នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​នេះ ​ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់​រណឬទ្ធិ​បាន​សម្តែង​ការ​សោកស្តាយ​ចំពោះ​ការ​ប្រកាស​ព័ត៌មាន​ស្តី​ពី​ការ​បែកបាក់​ជា​ថ្មី​នេះ ហើយ​ព្រះអង្គ​បាន​ដាក់​ការ​ទទួលខុសត្រូវ​ទាំងអស់​ទៅ​លើ​លោក​ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ ដែល​ព្រះអង្គ​អះអាង​ថា មិន​មាន​បំណង​ពិតប្រាកដ​ចង់​បាន​ការ​រួបរួម។

ភ្លាមៗ​បន្ទាប់​ពី​ការ​ប្រកាស​របស់​ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់​រណឬទ្ធិ លោក​ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ​ក៏​ថ្លែង​ការ​សោកស្តាយ​ដូចគ្នា​ដែរ។ ការ​សោកស្តាយ​របស់​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​ត្រូវ​ផ្សាយ​នៅ​ក្នុង​សេចក្តី​ថ្លែងការណ៍​ជា​សាធារណៈ​ទៀត​ផង។ ចំពោះ​ប្រធាន​ប្រតិបត្តិ​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច ក្តី​បារម្ភ​តែ​មួយ​ដែល​ធ្វើ​អោយ​លោក​ច្រានចោល​ការ​រួបរួម​ជាមួយ​ព្រះអង្គ​ម្ចាស់​នោះ គឺ​ការ​ខ្លាច​ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់​យក​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច​ថ្មី​ដែល​ព្រះអង្គ​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ជា​ប្រធាន​ទៀត​នោះ ​ទៅ​សហការ​ជាមួយ​គណបក្ស​សម ​រង្ស៊ី៕

Unification of Royalist Parties in Doubt [-The royalist parties are dead and long gone!!!]

Funcinpec’s secretary-general Nhiek Bunh Chhay, left, standing along side with Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Photo: by Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer

Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“Funcinpec is in the government.”

Officials from two royalist parties that suffered major defeats in local elections last month said Tuesday they would be unable to merge into one ahead of next year’s general elections.

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who heads his self-named party, blamed the failure on Funcinpec’s leadership, which he described to reporters as “responsible for this new fragmentation.”

Funcinpec’s secretary-general, Nhiek Bunh Chhay, said in a phone interview his party would not join in a royalist coalition because Norodom Ranariddh wants to join together with the opposition. “Funcinpec is in the government,” he said.

Funcinpec-NRP merger: Dead On Arrival (DOA)

Cambodia's royalist party merger plan likely to fail: party officials

2012-6-18
Xinhua

The merger plan between the two royalist parties--Funcinpec Party and Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) -- ahead of next year's general election is likely to fail because the NRP's core activists have different political stance, Nhiek Bun Chhay, executive president of the Funcinpec, said Monday.

He revealed that among the NRP's core activists, there are two groups: one sides with the current government and the other has opposition trend.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Honeymoon?

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

តាៗ រួមដំណេក ជាមួយគ្នា ច្រើនដងណាស់ ទៅហើយ តែឥឡូវមិនព្រមចូល រោងការ - Old men refused to get married after sleeping with each others

ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច រណឫទ្ធិ ទើបភ្ជាប់ពាក្យ បានជាង ២០ថ្ងៃ គ្រោងចូល រោងការ ខែក្រោយ ឥឡូវផ្អាក

Friday, 15 June 2012
ដើមអម្ពិល

Synopsis: The plan to merge Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) into a single political party in order to partake in the upcoming general election seems to go awry and it could even lead to each party walking out from another. The reason? They do not agree on a number of points in this merger, that’s what one high-ranking party official told DAP-news. One sticking issue is the fact that both parties do not agree on the merged party’s political stance in the future. Furthermore, plan for a congress for the united merger is now tossed out. Could it be that Hun Xen did not poor enough cash to sweeten the merger for it to take place?

ភ្នំពេញ ៖ គម្រោង ច្របាច់បញ្ចូលគ្នា រវាងគណបក្ស ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច និងគណបក្ស នរោត្ដម រណឫទ្ធិ ឱ្យទៅជា គណបក្សតែមួយដូចដើមវិញ ដើម្បីចូលរួមធ្វើការ បោះឆ្នោត ជ្រើសរើសតំណាងរាស្ដ្រ នាឆ្នាំ២០១៣ ខាងមុខនេះ ទំនងជាមិនអាចរួបរួមគ្នា ដូចបំណងនោះឡើយ ហើយអាចនឹងឈានទៅដល់ ការចែកផ្លូវគ្នាដើរ រៀងៗខ្លួនដដែល វិញ ដោយសារតែភាគីគណបក្សទាំងពីរ មិនឯកភាពគ្នាទៅលើចំណុចមួយចំនួន ក្នុងការបង្រួបបង្រួមគ្នានេះ នេះបើតាមការបង្ហើបឱ្យដឹង ពីមន្ដ្រីជាន់ខ្ពស់មួយរូប ប្រាប់ដើមអម្ពិល កាលពីម្សិលមិញ ។

ការបង្ហើបពីភាព មិនចុះសម្រុងគ្នាខាងលើ រវាងគណបក្ស ហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច និងគណបក្ស នរោត្ដម រណឫទ្ធិ ត្រូវបានគេ ជឿជាក់ថា ប្រាកដជាដូច្នេះមែន បន្ទាប់ពីលោក ញឹក ប៊ុនឆៃ បានថ្លែងជាសាធារណៈថា គម្រោងធ្វើសមាជច្របាច់ បញ្ចូលគ្នា រវាងគណបក្សហ្វ៊ុនស៊ិនប៉ិច និងគណបក្ស នរោត្ដម រណឫទ្ធិ នៅខែកក្កដា ឬសីហាខាង មុខនេះ ត្រូវបាន ពន្យារពេលសិនរួចមក ។

Reunion of the royalist party hits an impasse

(Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

25 Dec 2010
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Two weeks after returning to politics by Prince Ranariddh, the progress of the unification between the two royalist parties is hitting an impasse. Funcinpec which belongs to Nhiek Bun Chhay still refuses to join with the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP). Nevertheless, Prince Ranariddh is still looking for a way to achieve this unification, but up to now, only verbal dispute is being exchanged between the pair.

The fighting brother-enemy parties are not looking for a unification as of yet. Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, claimed that he is not supporting the return of Prince Ranariddh to politics and does not believe in the ability to unite with the prince’s party.

To Nhiek Bun Chhay, the formation of Funcinpec-81, as proposed by the prince, is tantamount to starting politics from scratch again. This is why Nhiek Bun Chhay’s clan in the Funcinpec refused to join the NRP under the new banner of Funcinpec 81 at this time.

Nevertheless, Pen Sangha, the NRP spokesman, claimed today that the prince is continuing his mission to unite the royalists without any change yet. The NRP spokesman called on Nhiek Bun Chhay’s Funcinpec clan to signal their intention to start the negotiations in this issue. He warned that if Funcinpec still refuses to unite, then the Prince has no choice but to bring in the royalists to his party’s side.

Prince Ranariddh was voted in as the leader of the NRP party which bears his name once again on 11 December, following his 2-year hiatus from politics and his nomination as supreme advisor to the king. Immediately after becoming the NRP president, the prince publicly announced to high-ranking NRP officials to prepare a letter of intent with the Funcinpec in order to form the new Funcinpec-81 party with the merger of the current Funcinpec party and the NRP.

However, Funcinpec, which is now in an alliance with Hun Xen’s CPP party, immediately turned down the prince’s proposal. Since then, the brother-enemy parties could no longer find a way to talk to each other anymore.

What royalist parties? Aren't they Hun Xen's doormats?

Funcinpec's Nhiek Bun Chhay (L) and NP's You Hockry (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)

Royalist Parties Plan Pre-Election Congress

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 08 November 2010

“If the prince returns to join Funcinpec, we must receive more and more votes.” (sic!)

Members of the Funcinpec and Nationalist parties say they plan to have a congress early next year to explore ways the two royalist parties can improve their election chances in 2012 and 2013.

Both parties suffered major defeats in the 2008 national election, each earning only two National Assembly seats, following a division when Funcinpec’s former president, Prince Norodom Ranarridh, formed his own party.

The Norodom Ranariddh Party has changed its name to the Nationalist Party, with Norodom Ranariddh leaving politics for a position with the Royal Cabinet.

“The congress aims to bring the two parties for reunification before the 2012 commune elections and 2013 national election,” Nationalist Party Vice President You Hockry said Monday.

The parties would like to see Norodom Ranariddh return to politics, he said, “but it is up to the prince’s decision whether he returns to politics or not.”

Norodom Ranariddh left the political arena after he was granted a royal pardon from an 18-month jail sentence stemming from the illegal sale of Funcinpec party headquarters.

“We all really want the prince to return to politics,” You Hockry said.

A spokesman for Norodom Ranariddh said the prince “has no intention to return to politics.”

Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bunchhay said the congress will also mean an election of a party president. He predicted the royalists could win “at least 17 National Assembly seats in 2013” if the parties join under one banner.

“If the prince returns to join Funcinpec, we must receive more and more votes,” he added.

A loser-prince opposes the alliance of two losing royalist parties

Ranariddh's statement in Khmer (Click to zoom in)

Letter from Chhim Siek Leng, NRP president to Ranariddh

Loser-Prince Norodom Ranariddh, at a rally in Phnom Penh during the final day of campaigning in the national elections in 2003. (Photo: AP)

Ranariddh Opposes Alliance of Royalist Parties
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 23 August 2010

“A combination would make us lose the voice of supporters and the name and honor of the party.”

Prince Norodom Ranariddh announced his opposition to the formation of a single royalist party on Monday, claiming the Nationalist Party that he formed but no longer leads should remain separate from the traditional Funcinpec.

“A combination would make us lose the voice of supporters and the name and honor of the party,” he said in a statement.

Norodom Ranariddh's statement comes after a Constitutional Council announcement Aug. 4 claiming that any party that merges with another will be removed from the Ministry of Interior's list of political organizations.

Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party have been working for reconciliation, announcing in June they would form an alliance to help move voters back toward the royalist parties following a poor showing in 2008's national polls.

Funcinpec was the leading political party when Cambodia emerged from decades of war, garnering 58 of 120 National Assembly seats in the UN-backed election of 1993. But the party was divided when Norodom Ranariddh left in 2006 under allegations of corruption.

The parties competed against each other in the 2008 election, winning only two seats each. Officials from each party maintained on Monday they would be working together.

“We explained to the prince this morning that the combination will not lead to the loss of the party, as the agreement ensures the sovereignty and identity of each party,” said Pen Sang Ha, spokesman for the Nationalist Party.

Funcinpec President Keo Put Reaksmey said the parties had up until six months ahead of the election to combine. The two parties have already been organizing on a grass roots level in the provinces of Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Siem Reap and Kampong Thom.

“We will make a common list of candidates for the commune elections in 2012,” he said.

The statement was one of the prince's first steps into a political issue since 2008, when he left the National Party, which was then named after Norodom Ranariddh, and was made a senior adviser to King Norodom Sihamoni.

The prince's cabinet chief, Norannaridh Anandayath, said Monday the statement was “not an intervention in politics.”

The royalist parties are dead, long life their alliance?!?!

Keo Puth Rasmey (L) and Chhim Siek Leng (R) (Photo: Free Press Magazine Online)

Funcinpec president called on nationalists and democrats to unite

07 June 2010
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

On Monday afternoon, the Funcinpec party president called on nationalists and democrats to unite in a single alliance.

In a speech delivered during the signing of the union between Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party (aka Norodom Ranariddh Party) at the Funcinpec party headquarters, Keo Puth Rasmey, Funcinpec president, declared that the current alliance is not just limited to between the two brother-parties, but also to gather various nationalists and democrats to build and develop the country.

During the occasion, Keo Puth Raskey called on all nationalists and democrats to unite as one in order to win the upcoming election.

Regarding the call above, Kem Sokha, HRP president, supports it, however, he indicated that his party can unite with these two parties only if Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party become independent from the government. “I want to see Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party – that want to unite with democrats – let go their hands from the communist first.”

At the same time, Mrs. Ke Sovanroth, SRP Secretary-general, declared that the SRP is opened to all political parties that want to unite with the SRP.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Pa-Hee Min See Luy

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Cambodia's Funcinpec, NRP agree to alliance for may election [A case of "1+1=0"?]

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's two main royalist political parties, the Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), have decided to combine forces for May's district and provincial council elections, national media reported Monday.

Officials from the two parties met on Thursday to hold talks and agreed to assist each other in the upcoming election, in which commune councilors will vote to choose the first-ever district, provincial and municipal councils, Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay was quoted by the Cambodia Daily newspaper as saying.

"We have agreed to unite with each other during the council election on May 17," he told the newspaper.

He added that the two parties uniting to form a single party would make sense because the NRP was originally born out of Funcinpec.

NRP spokesman Suth Dina confirmed that the discussions between the two parties were held and the two parties would cooperate for the May election.

In late 2006, Prince Norodom Ranariddh formed the NRP shortly after being ousted from the presidency of Funcinpec, effectively splitting the royalist vote.

Parties face legacy of division

SRP President Sam Rainsy at a press conference Thursday following the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change with the Human Rights Party. Photo by: Tracey Shelton

Monday, 19 January 2009
Written by Brett Worthington and Neth Pheaktra
The Phnom Penh Post

Opposition parties are confident recent political collaboration will yield electoral success, but analysts say past mergers have foundered on personal ambition.

THE recent series of political party collaborations has raised opposition hopes of a successful challenge to the ruling Cambodian People's Party, but some political analysts are divided as to the likely success of new political alliances, saying the track record of the Kingdom's political opposition has been marked more by division than by unity.

The overwhelming success of the CPP in last July's national election, in addition to a steady trickle of opposition defections, have been the catalysts for the recent collaborations, which have seen the Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party (HRP) agree to join forces as the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC), and the royalist Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) and Funcinpec agree to realign following a disastrous showing in last year's election.

Personal conflicts

But even though opposition allainces have occurred sporadically, analysts said they often foundered on the personal conflicts between party leaders.

Koul Panha, executive director of election watchdog Comfrel, said that personal ambition, bolstered by false estimates of support produced by local party operatives, often left leaders reluctant to negotiate with other parties.

"Some leaders of small parties don't learn from their experiences of division," he said. "They don't look [at] the political evolution. Every party is weak at studying the information they receive from their local activists, which sometimes is untrue."

Independent analyst Chea Vannath said a united opposition would be better placed to take on the CPP, but said the DMC would prove more successful than the dwindling royalist bloc.

"If they work hard for the next four years, until the next election, there is a definite chance [the DMC] will take more seats," she said, adding that Funcinpec and the NRP had more serious issues they needed to "work out" before they could mount a fresh political challenge.

A fresh start

But Kem Sokha, president of the HRP, said that the opposition had learned from the divisiveness of the past, and that common points of principle would ensure a fruitful partnership between his party and the SRP.

"We signed the joint statement for the DMC because we need to change. If you cannot mobilise, then you cannot change, we have learned that from our experience," he said.

Speaking Thursday after signing the colloboration agreement with Kem Sokha Thursday, SRP President Sam Rainsy said the decision to unite both parties happened "the very day after the legislative election," saying it was now time for both parties to work together to ensure change can come to Cambodia.

He added also that Funcinpec's dependence on CPP patronage would hamstring its efforts to form an effective opposition bloc with the NRP, saying that "we [the SRP and HRP] have the same principles and the same goals. We are independent, but Funcinpec are not independent.
They are close with the ruling party and they have their own interests."

NRP spokesman Suth Dina said, however, that his party's priority was to ensure electoral success at May's council elections, and that a merger with Funcinpec was likely to follow in its wake.

"Our priority is to cooperate to win seats at [May's] council elections," he said Sunday. "The merger of the royalist parties is the next step."

Koul Panha observed that historically, opposition parties have rallied together after elections to protest the legitimacy of the outcome - a position occupied by the CPP following Funcinpec's electoral victory in 1993. But he said it often takes a major electoral defeat - and a recognition of the true extent of a party's electoral support - to force opposition leaders into close alliances.

"After the election, [parties] recognised their weakness because the results they expected were not real," he said. "Now, they clearly know the [extent of their] political support," he said.

Funcinpec, NRP plan merger ahead of May's local elections

Friday, 16 January 2009
Written by Neth Pheaktra and Brett Worthington
The Phnom Penh Post

WILL THEY MAKE IT?
Thun Saray, Adhoc president, said he thought the alliance was "a good idea" but questioned its longevity. "I still worry they cannot keep this alliance together in the long run," he said. "Whether they'd be capable of winning an election or not, I don't know."

But observers question whether the much-fractured Royalist parties will be able to keep an alliance together to compete with the CPP.

FUNCINPEC and Norodom Ranariddh Party officials Thursday entered merger discussions ahead of upcoming local elections, Nhek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary general and deputy prime minister, told the Post on Thursday.

"Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh party will sign an MoU to create the Nationalist Alliance in the next week, and we will merge these two royalist parties," he said.

Nhek Bun Chhay said Thursday's meeting at the Funcinpec headquarters allowed both parties to discuss an aligned party's structure but added that time was needed to ensure the alliance would survive politically.

"Our priority is to join together and win some seats in the upcoming district, provincial and municipal council elections [to be held in] May 2009," he said.

The May elections are indirect - meaning only elected council members can vote for the new councils.

The ruling Cambodian People's Party holds 7,993 seats at commune level. Funcinpec holds just 274, with the NRP holding 425 - meaning even a merger would not enable them to beat the opposition Sam Rainsy Party's 2,660. The Hang Dara Democratic Movement has one seat.

NRP spokesman Suth Dina said despite a productive meeting Thursday, no deal has yet been reached.

"I am not really sure whether we will be able to unite or not, but the first meeting of representatives from both parties was fruitful," he said.
"It is time for nationalists from Funcinpec and the NRP to unite."
Should an MoU between the two parties be signed, Nhek Bun Chhay said the parties would unite under the historical name Funcinpec.

"We will preserve the old name Funcinpec because this name exists from a long time ago. I think it is time for nationalists from Funcinpec and the NRP to unite," he said.

The NRP was formed after Funcinpec ousted former party president Prince Ranariddh, then pressed charges of embezzlement against him - forcing him to flee into self-imposed exile in Malaysia, from which he returned last September.

The decision to try to unite the parties comes after Ranariddh's departure from politics and his acceptance of a ceremonial palace advisory role, and as Funcinpec continues to hemorrhage members to the CPP, following major losses at last years National Assembly election.

"Because of division before the last legislative election, both of these parties won only two chairs in the National Assembly. But if we unite, I think we will win many seats," Nhek Bun Chhay said.