PM: Feuding Royalists May Lose Positions
By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Prime Minister Hun Sen has threatened to remove Funcinpec officials from their government positions if they continue to stoke the internal rivalries that have simmered for months inside the troubled royalist party, CPP and Funcinpec officials said Sunday.
Ok Socheat public aflairs adviser to Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, said Hun Sen issued his warning to the CPP’s coalition partner during Friday's Council of Ministers' meeting.
"Prime Minister Hun Sen said that Funcinpec officials who cause the argument will be removed from government positions," Ok Socheat said, adding that he supported the proposal.
"Disputes among Funcinpec officials in the government have caused difficulties. I think [Hun Sen] has good intentions."
Ok Socheat said the warning applied primarily to Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay and Senior Minister Serei Kosal. Tensions between the two men boiled over in June, when Nhiek Bun Chhay publicly accused Serei Kosal of planning to form a breakaway party named after Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Serei Kosal denied the allegation and demanded at the time that Nhiek Bun Chhay resign within 24 hours. He has subsequently called on Nhiek Bun Chhay to resign from either his party position or government post as deputy prime minister.
Ok Socheat said the pair is now reaching a solution to their dispute with Prince Ranariddh acting as a mediator. 'The two people have compromised. They will conclude their argument" he said.
Serei Kosal said Hun Sen told officials that the threat did not apply to Nhiek Bun Chhay. He stressed that Funcinpec officials are well able to solve their internal problems without external influence.
"We are not babies. We are seniors with full experience," he said. He added that his dispute with Nhiek Bun Chhay was in the party's best interests as the secretary-general was leading the party towards disaster.
"There is no fire without smoke," he said. "The leader is leading us to the waterfall. I am not joining him," he added. "We want reform in the party."
Nhiek Bun Chhay could not be reached for comment.
Prince Norodom Chakrapong, who has filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against Nhiek Bun Chhay for accusing him of planning to form the breakaway party, said he will not withdraw the lawsuit as he does not hold a government position.
Funcinpec's Minister of Rural Development Lu Laysreng said he welcomed Hun Sen's warning. "He doesn't want members of the government to have disputes and he doesn't want his partner to become weaker," he said.
Hun Sen's adviser Om Yentieng also said that the premier was trying to offer a helping hand to Funcinpec. "We wanted the Funcinpec party to strengthen, its internal affairs to improve," he said.
But Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang said it is too late to assist the royalists. "The party is already divided. Hun Sen could not help Funcinpec," he said.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said Hun Sen's comments suggest that the CPP has gained control over Funcinpec.
"In the democratic world, one party should not interfere with another," he said.
Ok Socheat public aflairs adviser to Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, said Hun Sen issued his warning to the CPP’s coalition partner during Friday's Council of Ministers' meeting.
"Prime Minister Hun Sen said that Funcinpec officials who cause the argument will be removed from government positions," Ok Socheat said, adding that he supported the proposal.
"Disputes among Funcinpec officials in the government have caused difficulties. I think [Hun Sen] has good intentions."
Ok Socheat said the warning applied primarily to Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay and Senior Minister Serei Kosal. Tensions between the two men boiled over in June, when Nhiek Bun Chhay publicly accused Serei Kosal of planning to form a breakaway party named after Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
Serei Kosal denied the allegation and demanded at the time that Nhiek Bun Chhay resign within 24 hours. He has subsequently called on Nhiek Bun Chhay to resign from either his party position or government post as deputy prime minister.
Ok Socheat said the pair is now reaching a solution to their dispute with Prince Ranariddh acting as a mediator. 'The two people have compromised. They will conclude their argument" he said.
Serei Kosal said Hun Sen told officials that the threat did not apply to Nhiek Bun Chhay. He stressed that Funcinpec officials are well able to solve their internal problems without external influence.
"We are not babies. We are seniors with full experience," he said. He added that his dispute with Nhiek Bun Chhay was in the party's best interests as the secretary-general was leading the party towards disaster.
"There is no fire without smoke," he said. "The leader is leading us to the waterfall. I am not joining him," he added. "We want reform in the party."
Nhiek Bun Chhay could not be reached for comment.
Prince Norodom Chakrapong, who has filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against Nhiek Bun Chhay for accusing him of planning to form the breakaway party, said he will not withdraw the lawsuit as he does not hold a government position.
Funcinpec's Minister of Rural Development Lu Laysreng said he welcomed Hun Sen's warning. "He doesn't want members of the government to have disputes and he doesn't want his partner to become weaker," he said.
Hun Sen's adviser Om Yentieng also said that the premier was trying to offer a helping hand to Funcinpec. "We wanted the Funcinpec party to strengthen, its internal affairs to improve," he said.
But Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang said it is too late to assist the royalists. "The party is already divided. Hun Sen could not help Funcinpec," he said.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said Hun Sen's comments suggest that the CPP has gained control over Funcinpec.
"In the democratic world, one party should not interfere with another," he said.
2 comments:
What is Hun Sen. said? He wants to put pressure on Nhieng Bun Chhai fuction not stand upagaint Norodom Naranarith side any more and he will bring Naranarith back to power in some days. At begaing Hun Sen what to kick Naranarith out of cambodia politic and replace by Nhieng Bun Chhai to control Funcipec but he never thing that prine Thomico will form new party. Now the new party will be creat and team up with smaller party and will took a lot of Funcipec supportors to join the party because cambodian pepole saw clearly what Hun Sen did to Funcipec . what we see now seem to be CPP nervese and want to bring back Naranarith back to cambodia for confrontation to prine Thomico party, This is the game Hun Sen want to play .Hun Sen knew clearly.what is Naranarith want and Hun Sen will give to him againt whatever it cause because Naranarith is stupid never learn from mistake.
AH HUN SEN think he is God almighty and he can solve any problem? Even if AH HUN SEN died tomorrow there would be more problem to solve...AH HUN SEN is fighting for his survival in Cambodian politic but I think it too late already because AH HUN SEN had created too many enemies for himself and if you look in the mirror and he will find one more!ahahah
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