SRP To Reclaim Original Name After 2008 Vote

Thursday, March 9, 2006

By Yun Samean The Cambodia Daily

The Sam Rainsy Party is planning to revert back to its original name, the "Khmer Nation Party," but will wait until after the 2008 elections to avoid confusion, officials said Wednesday. "We want to change it to avoid people saying that the party belongs only to one individual," opposition Acting Secretary-General Meng Ritha said. He added that the opposition had adopted its leader's personal name in 1998 after a party member defected and took the Khmer Nation name for his own political party, causing confusion. Opposition supporter and Cambodian Independent Teachers Association President Rong Chhun said that the opposition should change its name immediately to help it win the 2008 elections.