40 Top F’pec officials and thousands of other F’pec members defect to the CPP “to keep their gov’t jobs”

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
KI-Media

Ok Socheat, the former advisor of F’pec president Keo Puth Reasmey, said that he had defected to the CPP and was offered a government position equivalent to that of a minister, The Cambodia Daily reported. Ok Socheat’s excuse to defect to the CPP: to ensure unity in the country in view of armed confrontation with Thailand. It should be noted that Hun Sen, CPP party vice-president, declared earlier that he did not want to see any armed confrontation with Thailand. Other top F’pec officials who defected to the CPP: Nou Kassie, former F’pec secretary of state at the ministry of Jusitce, Neav Sithong, former F’pec Justice ministers, and Serei Kosal who claimed that he had finished his mission with Funcinpec. Low level F’pec party members have also defected to the CPP in order “to keep their government jobs at the provincial and district level.” “They want to keep their positions and earn a living,” Ok Socheat was quoted as saying by The Cambodia Daily about these low level F’pec defectors. Lu Laysreng, F’pec party’s No. 1 vice-president said: “The party is weak, people are running away, it’s that simple.” It appears that the F’pec ship is currently taking in much water because not only the fat rats have jumped ship, but the teeny mice are also bailing out.

"As long as there is Lu Lay Sreng in F'pec, this party will not go anywhere": No wonder F'pec is not going anywhere at all nowadays

Funcinpec vows not to merge with the CPP

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

“Don’t trust the sky, don’t trust the stars,
Don’t trust the wife who claims to have no lover,
Don’t trust your mother who claims to have no debt”
- Old Khmer saying

Even though numerous high-ranking Funcinpec party officials defected to join the CPP, Funcinpec party leaders still claim that this party will absolutely not merge with the CPP. Lu lay Sreng, No. 1 Funcinpec party vice-president, told The Mekong Times that his party will not merge with the CPP. He said that Funcinpec has a very clear identity, and the defection of party members will not shake the party. He stressed: “As long as there is Lu Lay Sreng in Funcinpec, this party will not go anywhere.” Serey Kosal, the party deputy secretary-general, also indicated that the past defection of Funcinpec officials cannot force this party to merge with the CPP. He said that, now and in the future, Funcinpec is and will not be a satellite nor a lackey of the CPP, but that it is the CPP partner only, there is no time to merge Funcinpec with any other party.

Local newspaper's license suspended [-Details on the suspension of Khmer Amatak newspaper]

The Ministry of Information suspends Khmer Amatak over dispute between the deputy prime minister and an editor

Thursday, October 18, 2007
By Debory Li
AsiaMedia Staff Writer

The Cambodian Ministry of Information issued a suspension against Khmer Amatak, a local newspaper, for one month after editor Bun Tha refused to print a correction for an article about the deputy prime minister.

According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), the article, published on Sept. 24, 2007, alleged that two senior officials of the ruling Funcinpec Party, Deputy Prime Minister Nhiek Bun Chhay and Minister of State Serey Kosal, removed the name of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, Cambodia's first prime minister and former chairman of the Funcinpec Party, from a school in the Battambang province that he had donated to. The school was renamed, but reports between the Southeast Asian Press Alliance and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) conflict as to whose name it was: Chhay's or Kosal's.

Chhay and the Ministry of Information asked the newspaper to print a correction, but Tha refused, saying he had evidence to support the article's claim and was willing to face the deputy prime minister in court to settle the dispute. Instead, the ministry suspended the newspaper on Oct. 8, 2007.

"If a journalist can prove wrongdoing with hard evidence then it is their duty to report it to the public," said IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.

The Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) also expressed its dismay at the ministry's decision.

"By issuing an order to have this newspaper suspended for a month without the court's consent, the [ministry] has clearly sided with [the deputy prime minister], thus violating…freedom of the press in Cambodia," said CAPJ.

Both press rights groups urge the ministry to reverse its decision on the newspaper's suspension and reinstate its license soon.

Nhiek Bun Chhay reveals about the separation from Prince Ranariddh

Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Funcinpec party secretary-general talked about the 3 reasons that this party separated itself from Prince Ranariddh, its former leader. The Koh Santepheap newspaper reported that during a recent meeting with party supporters in Ta Poung commune, Thmar Kol district, Battambang province, Nhiek Bun Chhay said that there were 3 reasons for the separation from Prince Ranariddh: (1) the party needs to undertake its reform again by democratically electing its president once every 5-year and there will no longer be any lifetime party president any more; (2) Prince Ranariddh’s picture must be removed from the front of the Independence Monument placed on the party logo, because this monument represents the demand for independence from France in 1953 by King-Father, therefore, the use of the picture of Prince Ranariddh is wrong and is a cheating; (3) to eliminate the corruption in the party, and the nomination of party members to government positions should not be bribed. Serey Kosal who recently defected from the NRP said that it was because he loves the royals, that he follows the royals, but if Prince Ranariddh left without telling “him a single word, how can I build the NRP?”

6 NRP officials defect to Funcinpec

Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Serei Kosal who recently defected from the NRP to return to his old Funcinpec nest, said that 6 more NRP officials occupying the position of provincial party presidents, vice-presidents, and work group officials, asked to be admitted to Funcinpec. Serei Kosal told the Koh Santepheap newspaper on Monday that the 6 officials are: Sum Huot, Sam Sun Doeun, Kim Vien, Bin Heng Paul, Huy Sareth, and Hem Kuoy. Serei Kosal said that the 6 NRP defectors left because they knew that this party is no longer being led by Prince Ranariddh anymore. However, Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that this information is not true. Muth Chantha said that the 6 are former defectors and they are not new ones. He said that Serei Kosal’s information is not true because the names of the 6 people mentioned have already been published once already.

Funcinpec invites Ranariddh to take over the party presidency

03-09-2007
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

The Funcinpec is reiterating its invitations to Prince Norodom Ranariddh to take back the party leadership.

Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, affirmed on Monday 03 September that Prince Norodom Ranariddh was invited to take back the party leadership. However, the prince does not seem willing to come back. Even though the Funcinpec door is open to him, he will have to accept new conditions.

Nhiek Bun Chhay explained that two main points set the condition for the return of the prince. First, he must accept the election of the party president once every five years. Second, the party permanent committee consisting of 13 members will make the decision for the party. “However, the prince does not want this. He proposed the same Funcinpec structure which existed prior to last 18 October, i.e., the president is historical, and he possesses a special decision right. How can we proceed in this manner and still call ourselves democrats? I don’t know what else to do,” Nhiek Bun Chhay said with exasperation, before indicating that Keo Puth Rasmey, the current party president had accepted to become a vice-president, should the prince return.

The prince’s position is clear. In his communiqué, he affirmed that the Funcinpec leadership took advantage of his return, and he indicated that he would not return back to Funcinpec, whatever the conditions will be. “I want to precise that I, Norodom Ranariddh, will never return back to lead the Funcinpec which was born out of the illegal congress of last 18 October, organized by Nhiek Bun Chhay,” the prince wrote in his communiqué made public on 27 August. For Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, the Funcinpec is insisting with the prince because his presence is necessary to attract the voters. That was what the results of the last commune elections proved.

Discord still reigns among the two parties, Funcinpec and NRP, which are turning into brother-enemies. The movement of the dissidents and defectors had been published by the news media. Besides two former members of the NRP permanent committee, Ok Socheat and Serey Kosal, who declared that they were returning to Funcinpec, Prince Chakrapong is now at the service of King-Father. “I now serve King-Father, I am not making any comment,” the prince, a former NRP vice-president, claimed. Kim Vien, a former member of the NRP permanent committee who recently announced his departure from NRP, is currently negotiating with Funcinpec leadership about his position before deciding to join this party. Even though, Nov Sovathero said that he ignored the negotiation, Kim Vien said that he submitted 4 conditions to the Funcinpec. “I will rejoin the Funcinpec if the party leadership accepts in principle my 4 conditions, such as the independence in the government partnership. I am speaking in my name only. I don’t know what the other dissidents will do,” Kim Vien noted. He indicated that about a dozen of the permanent committee had left the NRP.

Ranariddh will not join the Funcinpec funeral procession to the crematorium

Monday 13 August 2007
Kampuchea Thmei
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Speaking by phone from Malaysia, Prince Ranariddh has decided to nominate former comedian Lor Si as his spokesman in charge of replying to Funcinpec Ok Socheat, Serey Kosal, and Nov Sovathero.

Speaking to members of the commune councils, Prince Ranariddh said that he cannot join the Funcinpec funeral procession because this party is about to die. If he were to join the Funcinpec back, it will be a grave injustice for all those who voted for the NRP which received even more votes than Funcinpec during the recent commune election.

Prince Ranariddh said: “Our party is the winning party, how could we join a party that lost the election?” Therefore, the prince now openly declares his position that he cannot join the Funcinpec funeral procession to the crematorium.

Speaking to his constituents by phone, Prince Ranariddh said that Funcinpec is finished. With the nomination of his spokesman, Prince Ranariddh said that his new spokesman is responsible for answering back to 3 people only, and that Muth Chantha, the current NRP spokesman, no longer needs to the reply to the 3, and this task should be taken care of by the former comedian Lor Si.

Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, said that Prince Ranariddh is trying to catch his last breath in order to save his personal interest only. He said that Funcinpec needs no provide further comments regarding Prince Ranariddh’s past anymore, because everybody knows about it already. He said that Funcinpec congress held on 13 October 2006 was not done to bring shame to Prince Ranariddh, but it was merely a reform to change the strategy in order to salvage the Funcinpec banner which was spiraling downward.

Nouv Sovathero added: “We should think about the past events, when Prince Ranariddh was Funcinpec President, did the number of votes (received by Funcinpec) increase or decrase? We do not need to ask someone knowledgeable, all that we have to do is ask young kids who can add two numbers together. The number of seats fell from 58 to 43, and then to 26, what do these numbers say?” Nouv Sovathero added: “Funcinpec is still attached to Prince Ranariddh if he is willing to come back and join Funcinpec. Funcinpec wants to stress also that the prince’s words claiming that Funcinpec is about to die, are mere speculations by an individual who has no conscience at all.”

Serey Kosal said that he welcomes the prince’s decision to nominate former comedian Lor Si as his spokesman. Serey Kosal said that Prince Ranariddh never nominates Lor Si to any position for a long time no, even if the comedian was as party fighter. Therefore, the nomination of Lor Si as the NRP spokesman shows that Lor Si has stronger ability than Muth Chantha.

Serei Kosal added that the viewers should look as Lor Si’s past. Lor Si is a true fighter because Lor Si decided to follow Prince Ranariddh, and this cost him his job as the comedian because several TV stations, and he almost have nothing to eat at all. However, the prince’s nomination of Lor Si as his spokesman, shows that Lor Si now have a job back.

Serei Kosal added: “I told them again and again, it was long ago now, why is Lor Si not nominated as spokesman. I, Kosal, welcome and praise Prince Ranariddh who selected a nominee who is a true fighter. Whether he wants it or not, even if Lor Si is not capable of doing anything, Lor Si can always give a comedy show to entertain the prince and keep him out of his boredom.”

Serai Kosal added: “I pity Lor Si very much, because he lost his jobs, and he cannot show his face on TV stations anymore because he faithfully follows Prince Ranariddh, without ever faltering.”

Return of the defectors to the once-defected party

Funcinpec Welcomes Three NRP Defectors

Seng Ratana, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
17 July 2007

Funcinpec officials held a ceremony Tuesday to welcome three defectors from the Norodom Ranariddh Party, but whether the prince himself would come back to Cambodia went unspoken.

The ceremony rang in the defections of Prince Sisowath Thomico, Serei Kosal and Ok Socheat.

Funcinpec First Vice President Lu Laysreng said the ceremony was like the return to an old home, claiming rifts between royalists as a reason Funcinpec showed so poorly in local elections earlier this year.

"We would like to put aside the issue of Prince Ranariddh's return or not return," he said. "We are welcoming our relatives who are re-uniting."

Serei Kosal, former NRP deputy secretary, said his defection was not a betrayal of Prince Ranariddh.

"I have only one direction, and that is for Prince Ranariddh to return to Cambodia, to lead the party, [either] doing politics or not doing politics," he said.

Ok Socheat, a former adviser to the prince, said in order for the royalists not to face oblivion, they would have to reunite.

"In order to avoid the dissolution of the monarchy, there should be a unification," he said.

More musical chair game at Funcinpec and NRP: Ok Socheat and Serei Kosal rejoin Funcinpec

Friday, July 13, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Ok Socheat and Serei Kosal, two high-ranking officials from the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) and close confidants to Prince Ranariddh, issued a joint public declaration on 12 July saying that they have decided to quit the NRP to rejoin Funcinpec back. On 11 July, Ok Socheat told a group of reporters that he wanted to remain independent for a while, however, on 12 July morning, he changed his mind by declaring that he was rejoining Funcinpec. Serei Kosal told the Koh Santepheap newspaper over the phone that, indeed, he decided to return back to Funcinpec because Prince Ranariddh trusts a small circle of party officials and forgot about those who fought along his side in the jungle (during the liberation struggle against the Vietnamese invasion in the 80s) such as him. However, Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that Ok Socheat and Serei Kosal are unruly and they both would be kicked out of the party on 12 July, but the pair knew about this in advance so they decided to leave the party. Muth Chantha added that, besides being unruly and not visiting their designated local zones, the pair went on to negotiate with Funcinpec without respecting the party’s rule.