Parties Fault NEC for Hard Registration

By Seng Ratana, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
19 May 2008

At least four political parties are unhappy with the National Election Committee, saying the government body had made registration for the upcoming election difficult and that commune councils have been ineffective.

The Norodom Ranariddh Party says it will file a complaint against the NEC for the deletion of an official’s name from an election list, and the opposition Sam Rainsy Party has complained of intimidation of one of its candidate.

The SRP candidate, who was serving as a teacher, was threatened he should change his place of work if he wished to stand for election, the Sam Rainsy Party said.

And officials of the Sangkum Khmer Niyum have filed a complaint to the Constitutional Council for its rejecting from the process.

NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha said some commune councils had been inactive implementing their jobs. Of the 12 parties who have registered, the NEC has officially verified six parties, declined one and is reviewing four.

Thief robbing from Hun Sen-crony-thief?

Ranariddh Party Official Arrested on Land Theft Charges

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
05 December 2007

A Norodom Ranariddh Party commune official in Kandal province was arrested Wednesday on charges of land theft, a party representative said.

Soth Say, second clerk of Viel S'bou commune, in Kien Svay district, for allegedly taking land from Phanimex Co., Ltd., and selling it to an organization for orphans, Sovan Komar, said NRP spokesman Muth Chantha.

The arrest comes after several back-and-forth public exchanges between Hun Sen and Prince Ranariddh, his traditional political rival.

Muth Chantha said the arrest was undertaken without a warrant, "in violation of the law."

The party planned to file a complaint with the police chief of Kandal, Muth Chantha said.