Imminent defection of former SRP MP Mao Monyvann?

Will Mao Monyvann decide to serve the oppressive regime?

22 March 2011
KI-Media

A source from Phnom Penh informed us that former SRP MP Mao Monyvann, who recently announced his resignation from his position as MP from Kampong Cham province, will soon defect to join the ruling CPP party.

Radio Free Asia reported on 12 March 2011 that Mao Monyvann indicated “that he is not joining any political party and that he will remain with the SRP forever.” If indeed, Mao Monyvann were to join the CPP, he would be breaking another promise he made on RFA.

Please stay tune.

More High-Ranking FUNCINPEC Officials Said To Defect to Cambodian People's Party

22 Jan 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer and posted online

When the general election is nearing, all the political parties have tried hard to look for strategies to win support. However, for the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia] Party, some of whose members have defected to other parties, Prince Sisowath Thomiko, who has just returned from France on 21 January after staying there for a month, has introduced a new strategy to prevent more FUNCINPEC officials from quitting the party.

According to what Prince Sisowath Chakkrei-nupol, adviser to Prince Thomiko, told Kampuchea Thmei, Prince Thomiko was strongly concerned over the defection of numerous members from FUNCINPEC this month. To prevent this current of desertion, Prince Thomiko said that he had a new strategy to contain this problem.

Prince Chakkrei-nupol did not reveal Prince Thomiko's strategy. He only said that Prince Thomiko planned to meet with the FUNCINPEC Party's Chairman Kev Put Reaksmei and Secretary General Nhoek Bun-chhai to discuss that new strategy soon.

As for the Norodom Ranariddh Party [NRP], it announced on its royalist radio program that 21 more other top FUNCINPEC leaders, including MPs, cabinet ministers, and state secretaries, were poised to defect to the Cambodian People's Party [CPP] and other parties in the near future.

NRP spokesman Mut Chantha said that he was aware of the 21 key FUNCINPEC leaders' readiness to defect through the assertion made by CPP MP Cheam Yiep at a seminar at [Phnom Penh] Sunway Hotel. He added that the ongoing defection of the FUNCINPEC leaders was unstoppable, because it was the will and decision of each individual. He also said that though the planned defection by the 21 FUNCINPEC officials had not yet been confirmed, a number of senior officials had already changed sides to the CPP.

Reacting, FUNCINPEC spokesman Neou Sovathero said the news was a gross exaggeration. He mocked the NRP saying that if it was so sure like that, why did it not disclose the names of the 21 officials? Why did it need to conceal them like an AIDS-infected person? Neou Sovathero pointed out that those who had left FUNCINPEC had already shown their faces, so there was no more defection. He also said that FUNCINPEC still maintained a firm position that while those who remained would continue to work, those who were displeased had the right to be so.

It should be recalled that Samdech Decho Hun Sen, prime minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, has already mentioned that for the fourth-mandate election, the FUNCINPEC Party should try hard to strengthen itself to remain the partner even though it would obtain only one seat. However, if FUNCINPEC would not be able to win even one seat, it would be difficult to help. This is a message reminding FUNCINPEC that it must try harder to secure seats in the National Assembly.

Funcinpec And Sam Rainsy Party's Supporters Defected To Norodom Ranariddh Party

03 November 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated By Khmerization

A senior Norodom Ranariddh Party's (NRP) official claimed this Saturday that more than 100 Funcinpec and Sam Rainsy Party's (SRP) supporters in Banteay Meanchey Province defected to the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP).

According to NRP sources there were 136 SRP and 10 Funcinpec's activists had voluntarily defected to the NRP in a welcome ceremony on Saturday in Chang-ha commune, O'chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.

Mr Noranariddh Anandayat, special advisor to Prince Ranariddh, told Radio Free Asia on Saturday that: "Prince Ranariddh's appeal for a united force between royalists and all democrats started to have positive effects".

Mr. Moeun Sarath, Chairman of Executive Committee of the NRP in Banteay Meanchey, who has presided over the welcoming ceremony said that:"They have come in drove. Both the SRP and Funcinpec had come at the leadership level".

Mr. Bin Meuk representing the defectors from the SRP from Chrey village, Chang-ha commune, O'chrov district, Banteay Meanchey, who was one of the 136 defectors said that: "I have defected to the NRP because the SRP has not achieved anything for the people".

As for Mr. Tek Ngis representing the 10 defectors from the Funcinpec Party said that: "I am too poor so I have decided to defect and people have helped me".

Reacting to these defections, spokesman for the Funcinpec Party, Nov Sovathero, said that on the contrary the ex-Funcinpec members who have stopped supporting Prince Ranariddh and who have defected to the Funcinpec Party were far greater in numbers than these defections.

Nov Sovatharo said that:" The re-defections to Funcinpec were far greater in numbers which is hard to quantify in figures".

Eng Chhay Eang, Secretary General of the SRP, has also reacted that he is not surprised at all because he knows that these defections were due to false promises. Eng Chhay Eang said that: "I am not paying any attention to this and I don't give any credits to these defections. We just look at the results of the commune election early this year".

Kul Panha, Chairman of an election monitoring body called COMFREL, has said that all Khmer politicians have always used a political ploy to attract more supports for their party before the upcoming 2008 election.

In recent weeks, Prince Ranariddh has called for all royalists and democrats, including the SRP, Human Right Party of Mr. Kem Sokha and the NRP to form a united force, but his wish is yet to materialise.

Funcinpec: Several hundreds of NRP defectors are joining F’pec

Wednesday, August 17, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, said on 15 August that his party is organizing a ceremony to welcome several hundreds of NRP defectors in Takeo province. However, at the same time, another report indicated that several hundreds of Funcinpec party members have defected to join the CPP also. Therefore, if the NRP defectors are real, it means that Funcinpec simply didn’t lose any number of party members. However, some political analysts believe that this is not a good sign for both Funcinpec and NRP. Regarding the question as to whether the two parties could merge with one another, Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, claimed that it could not happen, he added that the invitation of Prince Ranariddh to return back to Funcinpec will not take place either. Muth Chantha said that according to his chief (Prince Ranariddh), Funcinpec is like a man about to die, and this man cannot be saved.

NRP officials left the party

06 August 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Funcinpec officials in Siem Reap province claimed that about 11 important NRP activists, as well as several hundreds of NRP supporters defected the NRP to join Funcinpec recently, because they are facing internal disputes.

Kim Chhay Heang, Funcinpec deputy chairman for the province of Siem Reap, said on Monday 06 August morning that his party welcomed NRP founders who used to be deputy executive director of the NRP provincial branch, as well as the NRP party district secretary-general, and NRP supporters.

Kim Chhay Heang said: “We received 11 (NRP) founders who were deputy chairman of the party provincial branch, all the way down to party district secretary-general. These NRP founders, just like the ordinary citizens, believe that the rupture of the royalist force pushes the country to face difficulties.”

Kok Chea Yuthan, the NRP secretary-general from the province of Siem Reap who just defected to join Funcinpec, talked about his decision to leave NRP: “I can see that, internally, NRP is very jumbled up. I am very disappointed because they don’t value me.”

However, Muth Chantha, the cabinet chief and spokesman for NRP, rejected on Monday afternoon, he said that NRP is not concerned about the defection of these officials, and that the party already removed them from their positions already.”

Muth Chantha said that the defectors are those whom the party does not trust and they are opportunists.

Muth Chantha said: “Those who left include Mr. Bun Samban and some of his relatives. Mr. Bun Samban was the former executive director, he did not accomplish anything for the NRP. He defected to Funcinpec because he is nominated as the advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay, and his position is equivalent to an under secretary of state.”

Koul Panha, Comfrel director, said the constant departure to join another party back and forth, is the right of each citizen. However, internal disputes within a party could lead to a loss of trust by the voters.

Koul Panha said: “When they always have problems, and they rupture from one another, this could affect the party works. Sometimes, when people see the politicians changing back and forth too many times, the voters no longer trust them.”

Funcinpec Kim Chhay Heang claimed that since mid-July until 06 August, almost 300 NRP founders and members defected to Funcinpec.

Nevertheless, Muth Chantha rejected this claim, saying that this is nothing more than a ghost lists to seduce Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, only.

Thomico’s monthly defection: If you can beat them, might as well join them ... so what if they serve Hun Sen?

Thomico defects to Funcinpec

Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Information indicated that Prince Thomico, whose party was recently merged with the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) one month ago, has again defected from the NRP to join Funcinpec. The Cambodia Daily quoted Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, who said on Monday that Prince Thomico and Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh’s advisor, had joined Funcinpec. Nouv Sovathero said it is a good outcome that Prince Thomico decided to join Funcinpec because this truly shows the loyalty of Funcinpec to the monarchy. Prince Thomico cannot be reached yet to obtain his comments, but Ok Socheat denied that he has joined Funcinpec. Suth Dina, the former secretary-general of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party, said that he is very disappointed and embarrassed by Prince Thomico’s decision.

Keo Remy defection: HRP resorting to raiding opposition members rather than attracting new ones?

Opposition Lawmaker Defects

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
25/06/2007

Keo Remy, a parliamentarian for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, announced Monday he would be leaving to join the newly formed Human Rights Party.

Keo Remy said he had intended to quit politics altogether, but encouragement from loved ones and his constituency convinced him to switch parties instead.

"I have made a decision," Keo Remy said. "I already publicly announced that I would quit politics. But civil society, the people, and some professionals appealed to me in writing to continue politics…. This time I'll join Kem Sokha, forming a Human Rights Party. Therefore please, to the people who have supported and are supporting me, continue to support me through the Human Rights Party."

The Human Rights Party is run by Kem Sokha, the longtime rights advocate jailed last year on defamation charges. His party has emerged as a second potential opposition, though one currently without parliamentary seats.

Kem Sokha so far has not said he will join Sam Rainsy's calls for a united democratic front aimed at upsetting the ruling party's coalition with the splintered royalists, Funcinpec, in the 2008 National Elections.

More rats jumping off the F'pec ship ... in the dark of the night

F’pec officials defect to CPP

29 April 2007
By Huy Vannak
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

A number of high-ranking Funcinpec officials defected to the ruling CPP party after the results of the commune election show the decline in the number of Funcinpec supporters, and the decline of Funcinpec popularity.

Nevertheless, Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, said that this CPP defection trend is normal for politicians and individual members of any political party. “Those who left, it’s according to their judgment, their moral standing, and their conscience, but for those who remain behind, they will continue their mission.”

Nouv Sovathero said that up to now, only Ly Thuch, Funcinpec MP, had sent in his official resignation from the party.

News report indicated that a number of high ranking Funcinpec officials will also depart from Funcinpec.

On this issue, Nouv Sovathero said that he cannot prevent any individual from defecting as it is their political right, he said that he would like to see those who will defect to have the courage to announce their departure openly, just like what Ly Thuch did.

A high-ranking CPP official said that the CPP always welcomes those who join it regardless of political tendencies.