Only Half of Voters Went to Polls: Monitors

Cambodian Buddhist monk, right, casts his ballot in local elections at Wat Than pagoda's polling station in Phnom Penh, Sunday, June 3, 2012. Photo: AP

Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“The low turnout is very concerning.”

Only about half of eligible voters went to the polls on Sunday, election monitors say, thanks to a complicated electoral system, confused registries and irregularities at polling sites.

“It’s almost hard to recognize the result,” said Sam Kunteamy, a monitor for the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections, who said about 51 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. “The low turnout is very concerning.”

The ruling Cambodian People’s Party swept the election, winning all but around 40 communes of the country’s 1,633.

Kong Ravine, a monitor for the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said low turnout was due in part to migratory workers, who remained abroad. The groups 6,000 monitors found numerous irregularities and complexities at polling stations that hampered voting, she said.

អត្រា​អ្នក​បោះឆ្នោត​ទាបជា​សញ្ញា​នៃ​វិបត្តិ​សង្គម - Low voter turnout is a sign of social problems

ពុធ 06 មិថុនា 2012
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
Radio France Internationale

ការចូលរួម ​របស់ ​ព​ល​រដ្ឋ​ គឺជា​រឿង​ ចាំបាច់​មិនអាច​ ខ្វះ​បាន​ ក្នុង សង្គម ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ

សម្រាប់​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​​ក្រុមប្រឹក្សា​ឃុំ​សង្កាត់​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យអត្រា​នៃ​អ្នកបោះឆ្នោត​មាន​ចំនួន​តែ​​ជាង​៥០%​តែ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ។នេះ​ជា​អត្រា​ដ៏​ទាប​មួយ​ក្នុង​ប្រវត្តិ​នៃ​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​។​មាន​មូលហេតុ​ច្រើនយ៉ាង​ដែល​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មនុស្ស​ជាច្រើន​បាន​​បាត់បង់​​ឬ​ក៏​​បោះបង់​​សិទ្ធិ​​បោះឆ្នោត​​របស់​ខ្លួន។​ ទោះជា​មូលហេតុ​ណា​មួយ​​ក៏​ដោយ​អត្រា​ដ៏​​ទាប​​នៃ​​អ្នក​បោះឆ្នោត​​ជាស​ញ្ញា​​នៃ​​វិបត្តិ​សង្គម​​ដែល​​គេ​មិន​អាច​​មើល​ស្រាល​បាន។​ តើ​​មាន​​មូល​ហេតុ​​អ្វីខ្លះ​​ដែល​​នាំ​​ឲ្យ​​ពលរដ្ឋ​​ខ្មែរ​​មិន​ទៅ​​ចូល​រួម​​បោះឆ្នោត?

ក្នុងចំណោម​អ្នក​ចុះឈ្មោះ​ក្នុង​បញ្ជី​របស់​គណៈកម្មាធិកា​រ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការបោះឆ្នោត(គ.ជ.ប) ចំនួន​ជាង៩លាន២សែន​នាក់ មានតែ​ជាង៥០%ប៉ុណ្ណោះ​ដែល​បាន​បោះឆ្នោត​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ​ទី៣មិថុនា។ នេះ​ជា​អត្រា​ដ៏​ទាប​បំផុត​ក្នុង​ប្រវត្តិ​បោះឆ្នោត​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ចាប់តាំងពី​ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៣មក។ ក្រុមអ្នកតាមដាន​ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍​សង្គម​កម្ពុជា​បាន​មើលឃើញ​មូលហេតុ​សំខាន់ៗ​មួយចំនួន​ដែល​គេ​អាច​លើក​មក​ពន្យល់​ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍​នេះ​បាន។

មូលហេតុ​ទី១៖ ចលនា​ចំណាកស្រុក​ដែលជា​បញ្ហា​ធំធេង​មួយ​ក្នុងសង្គម​ខ្មែរ​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​គឺជា​មូលហេតុ​សំខាន់​មួយ។ មាន​ពលករ​ខ្មែរ​ជាច្រើន​បានធ្វើ​ចំណាកស្រុក​ទៅរក​ការងារ​ធ្វើ​នៅឯ​ទីក្រុង​ឬ​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​ឆ្ងាយ​ឬក៏​ចេញទៅ​ក្រៅប្រទេស​តែម្តង។ អ្នក​ទាំងនោះ​ភាគច្រើន​លើសលប់​បាន​បោះបង់​សិទ្ធិ​បោះឆ្នោត​របស់ខ្លួន ដោយសារតែ​បញ្ហា​ថវិកា និង​ពេលវេលា។ ពួកគេ​គ្មាន​ពេល និង​គ្មាន​ថវិកា​សម្រាប់​ធ្វើដំណើរ​ទៅពិនិត្យ​ឈ្មោះ ឬ​ទៅ​បោះឆ្នោត​ឡើយ។ ជួនកាល​ទៀត ថៅកែ​ខ្លះ​បាន​បញ្ចុះបញ្ចូល​ឲ្យ​ពួកគេ​ឲ្យ​នៅ​ធ្វើការ​ជាជាង​បង្កលក្ខណៈ​ងាយស្រួល​ឲ្យ​ពួកគេ​ទៅ​បោះឆ្នោត។ ដូច្នេះ ការបោះបង់​សិទ្ធិ​បោះឆ្នោត​ជា​ជម្រើស​ដែល​មិនអាច​ចៀសវាង​បាន។

ចំនួន​ពលរដ្ឋ​មក​បោះឆ្នោត​មាន​តែ​ជាង​៥១​ភាគរយ

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​តម្រង់​ជួរ​ចូល​រួមការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោតក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សា​​ឃុំ សង្កាត់​ អាណត្តិ​​ទី​​៣ កាល​ពីថ្ងៃ​អាទិត្យ​ម្សិលមិញ​។ រូបថត ហេង ជីវ័ន​

Monday, 04 June 2012 12:05
ឃុត សុ​ភ​ច​រិ​យា
The Phnom Penh Post

ភ្នំពេញៈ គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត (គ.ជ.ប)បាន​ចេញ​របាយការណ៍​នៅ​ល្ងាច​ម្សិលមិញ​ថា ចំនួន​អ្នក​ទៅ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សា​ឃុំ-សង្កាត់ អាណត្តិ​នេះ មាន​តែ ៥១,២៣ ភាគរយ ទេ ខណៈ​ដែល កាលពី​ឆ្នាំ​ ២០០៧​ មាន​ប្រជាជន ៦៦​ភាគរយ​ បាន​នាំ​គ្នា​ទៅ​បោះឆ្នោត​ដូច​គ្នា​នេះ។​

ក្នុង​ប្រកាស​ គ.ជ.ប ចេញ​ផ្សាយ​កាល​ពីល្ងាច​ថ្ងៃ​អាទិត្យ​ម្សិល​មិញ​នោះ​បញ្ជាក់​ថា មាន​ប្រជាជន​ចំនួន​៤,៥ លាន​នាក់ បាន​ទៅ​បោះឆ្នោត ខណៈ​ដែល​ចំនួន​អ្នក​ចុះ​ឈ្មោះ​បោះឆ្នោត​ មាន​ដល់ ៩,២​លាន​នាក់​។ កាលពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៧ អ្នក​ទៅ​បោះឆ្នោត​មាន​ចំនួន​ ៥,១ លាន​នាក់ ក្នុង​ចំណោម​អ្នក​ចុះ​ឈ្មោះ​បោះឆ្នោត ​៧,៨ លាន​នាក់។

លោក ទេព នីថា​ អគ្គលេខាធិការ គ.ជ.ប មិន​អាច​សុំ​ការ​បញ្ជាក់​បាន​ទេ​កាល​ពីល្ងាច​មិញ តែ​បើ​តាម​មន្ត្រី គ.ជ.ប ប្រាប់​ទៅ​បណ្តាញ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​កាល​ពី​ម្សិល​មិញ​ការ​ថយ​ចុះ​ចំនួន​អ្នក បោះឆ្នោត​អាច​បណ្តាល​មក​ពី​បញ្ហា​អាកាសធាតុ ដែល​មាន​ភ្លៀង​ខ្យល់​នៅ​តាម​ខេត្ត​មួយ​ចំនួន ដែល​បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​រំខាន​។

The CPP still leads

03 June 2012
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Soy

Vote counting for the commune election has not completed yet as of Sunday evening because the counting at a number of polling stations was disturbed by rainfall. Nevertheless, the ballot counting was completed in the large majority of polling stations throughout the country. Although the preliminary results are not clear yet, the CPP is still in the lead in this election.

The ballot counting started since 3PM after all polling stations were closed. However, severe rain fell on a number of provinces and in Phnom Penh, the weather prevented the ballot counting in a number of polling stations.

There is no official result yet, only claims made by a number of political parties. In general, the CPP leads the election, but Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, refused to comment on the CPP election results and he leaves the NEC to publish the information. Nevertheless, source has indicated that the CPP seems to win a completely victory in Phnom Penh where the SRP used to control 3 communes in the past term.

Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, claimed that he did not receive sufficient information yet, and he only knew that the SRP won another commune in Ratanakiri. However, Yim Sovann blamed the bad chaos during the election because million of voters could not find their names. He does not seem happy with the election results and he said that the election situation is the worst so far. He blames the National Election Committee (NEC) for bad organizations. It should be noted also that voter turnout is around 60% only.

Voter turnout drops to 60%

03 June 2012
By Ky Soklim
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Soy

The National Election Committee (NEC) provided a preliminary estimate of voter turnout during the 2012 commune election: it has drops to 60%, i.e. a decrease of 7% compared to the 2007 election. In Phnom Penh, the number of voter turnout is around 60% also. Furthermore, the opposition has also raised a number of irregularities.

Tep Nitha, the NEC secretary, said on Sunday evening that the 2012 voter turnout rate drops to about 60%, i.e. a 7% drop from 2007. In Phnom Penh, the voter turnout rate is also around 60% as well.

In 2012, the number of voters amounts to about 9 millions. Besides the voter turnout rate, Tep Nitha said that the general election atmosphere is rather good, however prior to the closing of the polling stations at 3 PM, rain fell and it disturbed a number of polling stations. 3 polling stations in Phnom Penh and 3 in Battambang will count their ballots tomorrow due to rain disturbance.

The opposition parties raised a number of irregularities during Sunday’s election. Kem Sokha, HRP president, said that a number of irregularities took place during Sunday’s commune election, such as: a number of voters could not find their names and could not vote. A number of commune chiefs stood next to the polling stations “to tell voters to vote for their party.”

Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, noted that the presence of cops in front of polling stations and the presence of vehicles bearing political party signs in front of polling stations constitute a threat to voters.

Inflation Could Affect Voter Turnout, Experts Worry

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
23 April 2008

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said inflation was a product of the free market, and the government was unable to stop it.

[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the first in a two-part series examining inflation.]

As the cost of goods across the country continues to rise, election experts worry that voters will be less likely to make a trip to the polls in July, while voters themselves say they are so worried about the cost of living they can’t focus on the elections.

Sok Vannak, who left her hometown in Svay Reing province to work at a garment factory more than 10 years ago, said her $50 dollar monthly salary won’t allow her to go vote back home. This is because of high inflation, especially an increas in traveling costs.

“Now you have to spend 30,000 riel for one-way travel, but before only 6,000 riel,” she said, joined by a group of workers and university students near a wooden house in the capital. “This high increase means I will not go to vote because I have no money for traveling.”

Voting is the last thing on the minds of many Cambodians, especially the poor, who have daily concerns and are feeling the bite of rising costs.

“How can we think about the election if we are so poor?” asked Ty Sokhak, a resident in Battambang province, raising her voice. “At the moment eating is more important.”

Competing parties in July’s elections recognize the difficulty in getting people to vote when they are worried about daily living, experts said. The parties also have to contend with people’s skeptical attitudes toward politicians.

Ly Sothea Rayuth, senior program officer at the National Democratic Institute, said inflation not only made Cambodians uncaring about the election but also could prevent many from leaving their jobs in the capital on Election Day.

“In a country facing high inflation, it not only affects people’s livings, but it also affects the election process,” he said.

Ly Sothea Rayuth warned that a worst-case scenario could see a reduced number of voters, especially if the government can’t find a way to reduce the costs of living or travel.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said inflation was a product of the free market, and the government was unable to stop it.

More than 8 million people are registered to vote this year, but the number of people coming to the polls has decreased in recent elections.

The National Election Committee counted 90 percent of voters casting ballots in 1993, but only 68 percent voting in last year’s commune elections.

Koul Panha, director of the independent Committee for Free and Fair Elections, urged people to overcome the costs of travel and vote.

A vote was a way of standing up and speaking to a problem, he said.