Nhiek Bun Chhay boasts that F’pec will get 15 seats at the 2008 election

Monday, February 11, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

While some observers predict that, based on the 2007 commune election results, in the upcoming July 2008 general election, Funcinpec could obtain only one seat at the National Assembly, Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, boasted that his party will obtain between 15 to 16 seats. Nhiek Bun Chhay claimed that the reason his party still remains strong because 60 to 70% of the Funcinpec party members who defected to join other parties have returned back, that is why he hopes that Funcinpec can obtain so many seats in this upcoming election. Nhiek Bun Chhay claimed that the return of the former Funcinpec party members is due to the party reforms which are taking place all over the country. Nhiek Bun Chhay said that, before, they (defecting party members) did not understand about the party reform, but that now, they understand it, and this is why they are returning back. Furthermore, the fact that Prince Ranariddh could not return back home has been beneficial to Funcinpec.

Nhiek Bun Chhay boasts that Funcinpec will obtain 26 Parliament seats

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

While a large number of high and low ranking party officials are defecting the Funcinpec party to join the CPP, Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, still believes that his party will preserve the 26 Parliament seats it is now holding during the upcoming July election. Nhiek Bun Chhay explained the reason that his party will retain these seats is because the reforms initiated by Funcinpec are taking deeper roots than before, and his party officials are putting a lot effort to frequently visit the grass root levels. He said: “Based on our plan, we will preserve the parliament seats we are now holding. Based on the survey we collected from the grass root levels in the province and cities, we have a 70% chance of preserving these seats.” He said that, in a number of provinces where his party received one parliament seat, such as Battambang, Siemreap, Kampong Thom, these seats will remain the same. However, he said that in the city of Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham and Kandal provinces, he said that he is not certain yet if Funcinpec will preserve its current seats or not, but that it is working hard there.