Political deadlock feared after election results

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

On Saturday Cambodia released interim election results and, just as expected, it was a thumping win to Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party.

Despite the clear victory there are fears of a political deadlock emerging. Opposition parties are threatening to boycott next month's opening of the National Assembly. But the CPP, which won 58 per cent of the vote, has warned the opposition parties to show up or risk being stripped of their seats.

Presenter: Chhieng Yuth
Speakers: Cheam Yeap, Cambodian People's Party spokesman; Son Chhay, Sam Rainsy Party MP; Ok Serei Sopheak , independent political analyst

Click here to listen to the audio program in English

Three Parties Maintain Government Boycott

Leaders of three parties opposing the ruling coalition, including Sam Rainsy, continue to boycott the formation of a government.

By Reporters, VOA Khmer
Original reports from Phnom Penh
08 August 2008

Khmer audio program by Heng Reaksmey
Khmer audio program by Chun Sakada

The newly elected members of three parties in opposition to the ruling coalition will not swear in later this month, preventing the formation of the National Assembly and retaining a deadlock in the new government, leaders said Friday.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who held a press conference with the leaders of the Human Rights and Norodom Ranariddh parties at his Phnom Penh headquarters Friday, continued to contest the results of last month's national election.

Lawmakers of the three parties will not swear in on Aug. 24, he told reporters.

The three parties together represent an estimated 31 parliamentary seats, with the CPP holding 90 and its partner, Funcinpec, holding two.

"The first meeting on the 24th cannot happen, because we refuse the election results," Sam Rainsy said.

"My party's stance is the same as the Sam Rainsy and Norodom Ranariddh parties," Keat Sokhun, vice president of the Human Rights Party, said. "We will not go to the meeting if there is no solution to complaints from people who could not vote."

NRP spokesman Muth Chantha said the "boycott" of the meeting did not mean the parties had abandoned their seats.

"What we want is for the National Election Committee to respect the will of the people who could not vote, about 1 million [of them]," he said.

The vow to deadlock the government came as the ruling Cambodian People's Party swore to push toward establishing the government by Aug. 26.

"The government will be set up on Aug. 26, after the National Assembly opens its first full session on Aug. 24," CPP spokesman Khieu Kanharith told reporters Friday. "The new cabinet will be bigger than the last cabinet."

CPP officials maintain they can establish a government without swearing in all newly elected members, a claim disputed by constitutional and election law experts.