Som Niyeay Phorng - Angkor Borei News

Kem Sokha counting his eggs ahead of the election

Kem Sokha hopes to obtain Parliament seats in the upcoming election

Monday, April 28, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

In the upcoming July general election, Kem Sokha, Human Rigths Party (HRP) President, declared that he is 100% certain that his party will obtain seats at the National Assembly. Kem Sokha told The Mekong Times, in an interview, that he has 100% hope that his party will receive seat(s) at the National Assembly, however, he said that he does not know home many yet because it is difficult to gauge for a new political party. He provided the reason as to why he hopes he will receive seats: (1) 90% those who use to vote for Funcinpec will vote the HRP, (2) at least 50% those who vote for the SRP, could change their mind and vote the HRP instead. As to the CPP supporters, because Pen Sovann is with the HRP, Kem Sokha said that his party can attract at least 10% of the CPP voters also. Another reason for Kem Sokha’s optimism is the fact that the HRP is new choice for the disenchanted voters, and they will vote for the HRP.

Since all other parties are weak or breaking up, by default HRP will be the winner: Kem Sokha's syllogism

Kem Sokha: HRP’s challenger is the CPP

Thursday, February 28, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Kem Sokha, HRP president, who boasted that his party will win the upcoming election, said that only the HRP is the strong challenger to the CPP. Kem Sokha told the Samner Thmei newspaper, in an interview, that based on observation of the current political situation, he has completely surpassed a number of parties, such as the Funcinpec, the SRP, and the NRP who all have seats in the commune councils and the National Assembly, and the only remaining party that he has to challenge is the CPP. Kem Sokha added that if his party surpasses the CPP, then it will win for sure. He asked: why are we focusing on the CPP? Because the NRP cannot provide any challenge since its president remains in exile overseas, and on top that, he has a bad personal history as well. As for the Funcinpec party which the public used to vote for, it is now broken, and the SRP is also starting to break up. He said that based on his observation, the SRP does not bring anything new for the public to be confident that it can beat the CPP in the future. Therefore, only the HRP can be expected to be a challenger to the CPP.

Kem Sokha counting his eggs before the election

Kem Sokha: I will win with 4 million votes

Thursday, February 28, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

In an interview with today’s edition of The Mekong Times newspaper, Kem Sokha, HRP president, boasted that during the upcoming general election, his party will receive almost 4 million supporting votes. Kem Sokha provided the reason for his prediction by saying that, firstly, there were more than 2 million people who did not vote in 2003 (2007?). Therefore, these 2 million people did not vote because they lost hope as they used to vote for the opposition and the Funcinpec party. Kem Sokha said that among these 2 million people, at least 1 million are fed up and they may vote for the HRP. Secondly, Kem Sokha added that the Funcinpec still has more than 1 million voters, but that these voters no longer have a clear goal, and his party could grab at least 1 million votes away from the Funcinpec. He also said that his party can also collect half of the more than 1 million SRP voters. Thirdly, his party can attract 2 million voters away from the CPP supporters who are not pleased with their party and who want to see a new political leader, therefore they may vote for the HRP. Therefore, Kem Sokha hopes that he will collect almost 4 million votes altogether, and the HRP will win the election and form the new government to lead the country.

Kem Sokha: His party will beat the CPP

Kem Sokha (L) and Hun Sen (R)

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Monday, Kem Sokha, President of the Human Rights Party (HRP), said that he is more popular than Prince Ranariddh and opposition leader Sam Rainsy. He told The Cambodia that his closest rival are not Prince Ranariddh nor Sam Rainsy, but that it is prime minister Hun Sen. Kem Sokha hopes that in the upcoming general election, the HRP will beat the CPP and he will become the prime minister. However, Eng Chhai Eang, SRP Secretary-general, said that he is not concerned about the HRP. He said that there are only two parties that must compete in the upcoming election: the SRP and the CPP. Khieu Kanharith, spokesman for the government, mocked Kem Sokha, saying that if the latter cannot even rule his employees at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), how can he rule the country when he becomes the prime minister?