By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
21 May 2009
Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly thanks 552 commune council members from the Sam Rainsy, Norodom Ranariddh and Funcinpec parties for voting ruling party members into national council seats.
The Cambodian People’s Party took 75 percent of the district, provincial and municipal council seats, in a vote held among commune councilors Sunday.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party won 20 percent of the seats, with the remaining split between the two fractious royalist parties.
“Hun Sen would also like to thank all commune council members of the CPP and other party members who came together to vote for the CPP, increasing more seats than planned,” Hun Sen said.
Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said the party lost a small number of members to the CPP.
“Threats, intimidation and vote-buying are a system CPP members implemented,” he said. “We are sorry for the wrongdoing of the CPP.”
Opposition members who went against the party “will face punishment,” he said.
Following the vote Sunday, the National Election Committee dismissed opposition accusations that ruling party members offered money to commune council members in exchange for CPP votes.
The Cambodian People’s Party took 75 percent of the district, provincial and municipal council seats, in a vote held among commune councilors Sunday.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party won 20 percent of the seats, with the remaining split between the two fractious royalist parties.
“Hun Sen would also like to thank all commune council members of the CPP and other party members who came together to vote for the CPP, increasing more seats than planned,” Hun Sen said.
Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said the party lost a small number of members to the CPP.
“Threats, intimidation and vote-buying are a system CPP members implemented,” he said. “We are sorry for the wrongdoing of the CPP.”
Opposition members who went against the party “will face punishment,” he said.
Following the vote Sunday, the National Election Committee dismissed opposition accusations that ruling party members offered money to commune council members in exchange for CPP votes.
