Opposition [HRP] defectors continue to flock to Hun Sen's ruling CPP

Reach Samrach, former chief of finance for the Human Rights Party. (Photo: TRACEY SHELTON)

Thursday, 09 October 2008
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

The HRP's Reach Samrach and Lim Rathanak, and the NRP's Keo Sothea say govt's overwhelming support demands allegiance

TWO members of the opposition Human Rights Party and a third from the Norodom Ranariddh Party announced their defection to the Cambodian People's Party on Tuesday, just hours after HRP founding member Keo Remy embraced the ruling party.

Reach Samrach, chief of finance for the HRP, and his deputy, Lim Rathanak, told the Post Wednesday they agreed to defect to the CPP without conditions or expectations.

Keo Sothea, an NRP stalwart and publisher of the Voice of Khmer Youth newspaper, also announced his allegiance to the CPP.

Reach Samrach said that he submitted a letter to CPP leaders seeking permission to join the party, but that he has yet to receive a response.

"I cannot walk contrary to the CPP leaders when they have received so much support from the Cambodian people," he said.

Lim Rathanak told the Post he also defected without conditions and did not seek a position in the new government.

Meanwhile, Keo Sothea said Wednesday he could not continue as a member of the NRP because it would no longer have any political clout following last week's resignation of its leader, Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

"After [Prince Ranariddh] quit politics, I saw that the NRP would be weak, so I could not stay," he said.

Senate Vice Chairman Tep Ngorn told the Post he will preside over a ceremony today to formally recognise the defectors as CPP members.

In the run-up to the July 27 national polls, the opposition suffered unprecedented defections to the CPP, which won 90 of the National Assembly's 123 seats.

Director of “Samleng Yuvachun Khmer” jumps the NRP ship to join the CPP

08 Oct 2008
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set
Unofficial tanslationom French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
Click here to read the article in Khmer

On Wednesday 08 October, it was learnt that Keo Sothea, director of the daily newspaper Samleng Yuvachun Khmer (Voice of Khmer Youth), close to the Norodom Ranariddh Party, has joined the ruling CPP. The defection follows the political pullout and resignation of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the former NRP president.

“I explained my decision to join the CPP in a letter sent to them,” Keo Sothea explained when he was contacted by Ka-set over the phone. “I knew, through Keo Remy [ex-president of the HRP disciplinary committee and new CPP member], who served as the intermediary between myself and my new party, that I was welcomed by them.” Furthermore, Keo Sothea indicated that there will be no change at his newspaper political direction: “The NRP was also favorable to the government.”

When Keo Sothea took over his position in 1999 to head the Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, the newspaper was then close to Funcinpec. Following the [Funcinpec] crisis in 2006, he then turned to the NRP.

Up until now, Keo Sothea was a member of the NRP director committee and administration council – the NRP obtained two seats during the 27 July general election – he said that he does not know yet what position he will be given within the CPP government.