Government
Elections
Senate poll campaign period set
The National Election Committee has set a two-week campaign period for the upcoming Senate elections on February 25. The NEC issued a statement yesterday saying all parties would be provided equal time on state television network for campaigning from February 10 to 25. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50107118/senate-poll-campaign-period-set/
Ministry refuses to dissolve Human Rights Party
Interior Minister Sar Kheng has instructed the Human Rights Party to hold a congress to seek approval from the majority of its members before asking the ministry to dissolve it. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50106112/ministry-refuses-to-dissolve-human-rights-party/
Thousands of excess Senate ballots printed
The National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday announced plans to distribute 25,950 ballots for the upcoming Senate election this month, more than double the amount of eligible voters. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/thousands-excess-senate-ballots-printed
Rainsy officially launches Cambodia National Rescue Movement, lays out five-point plan
Yesterday, Rainsy said the new Cambodia National Rescue Movement had a five-part plan, starting with appealing to the international community to take action. The next step is to work with “economic” partners to put financial pressure on the government.Next, Rainsy said the movement will encourage ...
Niem Chheng and Andrew Nachemson
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/rainsy-officially-launches-cambodia-national-rescue-movement-lays-out-five-point
Kem Sokha’s Human Rights Party decides to close
The Human Rights Party closed yesterday of its own accord, officially removing itself from any conversation about potential challengers to the ruling party in the absence of the CNRP. The move was met with mixed responses yesterday – with some lamenting the loss of a “back-up” ...
Mech Dara and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/kem-sokhas-human-rights-party-decides-close
GDP to focus on government efficiency
The Grassroots Democracy Party yesterday suggested taking a pin to Cambodia’s inflated bureaucracy, saying it would campaign on a proposal to reduce the number of ministries from 23 to just 15 in order to improve efficiency and cut wasteful spending. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/gdp-focus-government-efficiency
Funcinpec official looks to have members fired
A high-ranking Funcinpec official has published a petition calling for the dismissal of two prominent party members, accusing the pair of nepotism. Seng Haksrun, deputy secretary-general and adviser to party President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, wrote the complaint against Por Bun Sreu, deputy party president, and ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/funcinpec-official-looks-have-members-fired
CNRP’s predecessor parties reject GDP call to run in July election
The fledgling Grassroots Democracy Party appealed yesterday to the predecessors of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party to contest this year’s upcoming elections in a bid to dilute the ruling party’s vote share – an offer they quickly turned down. ...
Ben Sokhean and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cnrps-predecessor-parties-reject-gdp-call-run-july-election
NEC releases official voter list
The National Election Committee has released the official voter list for July’s general election, containing nearly 85 percent of eligible voters. The voter list contains 8,380,217 names out of 9,882,746 eligible voters, or 84.8 percent of those aged 18 and over. There will be 22,967 polling stations ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50104215/nec-releases-official-voter-list/
NEC commits to fair elections
The National Election Committee has reaffirmed its commitment to making sure July’s general election is free and fair. The NEC yesterday held a public consultation on regulations and procedures for the polls, intended to help ensure effectiveness and transparency. ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50103929/nec-commits-to-fair-elections/
Cambodia does not need international recognition for upcoming elections: PM
The result of Cambodia’s 2018 national election does not need the United Nations’ recognition and the country is determined to hold elections on schedule, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday (Jan 18). ...
Former NEC member goes back to education
Former National Election Committee member Rong Chhun has been appointed as a consultant to the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association after he resigned from the NEC following the opposition CNRP’s dissolution. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50103747/former-nec-member-goes-back-to-education/
Cambodia's ruling party adds 342 new members to central committee
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) added 342 new members to its central committee during an extraordinary congress on Sunday, bringing the total number of the central committee members to 865, said the party’s resolutions. ...
Yan
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/21/c_136913347.htm
CPP inner circle expands, now dwarfing China’s and Vietnam’s
The Cambodian People’s Party Central Committee yesterday added more than 300 members to its ranks, the largest-ever class of inductees from government, civil society and law enforcement. The new members, which bring the committee’s ranks to more than 800, were sworn in to conclude a three-day ...
Mech Dara and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/cpp-inner-circle-expands-now-dwarfing-chinas-and-vietnams
Hun Sen seeks to clarify remarks, pledging that election will take place ‘no matter what’
Prime Minister Hun Sen hit back yesterday at suggestions that he would consider postponing this year’s elections, saying they will go on as scheduled “no matter what happens” – an apparent effort to clarify his remarks in a speech the day before that an election ...
Ben Sokhean and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-seeks-clarify-remarks-pledging-election-will-take-place-no-matter-what
The big three. 2018 elections for Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia
In 2018 there will be three elections in our immediate region – the much-predicted (and confirmed by the Thai PM) Thai election, another in Cambodia and one in Malaysia. All have their very local versions of democracy which will shape the outcomes. All are vital ...
Tanutam Thawan
https://www.phuketgazette.net/news/big-three-2018-elections-thailand-malaysia-cambodia
Local officials prepare to vote for ruling party in absence of main opposition
In Popel commune, Takeo province, some seven commune councilors from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party are going to vote in the Senate election, which will take place on February 25. The election will take place without the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which gained more ...
Voter list complaints resolved
The National Election Committee has received and settled 150 complaints in regards to preliminary voter lists for February’s Senate election. Among the complaints, 144 were approved, one was denied, three had already been resolved and two were withdrawn. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50102836/voter-list-complaints-resolved/
After Rainsy calls for future protests, Hun Sen says elections will not take place amidst ‘chaos’
Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an oblique warning in a speech to garment workers yesterday, noting that there could be no elections in a “chaotic country” – an apparent reference to the protests foreshadowed by the newly announced Cambodia National Rescue Movement. ...
Ben Sokhean and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/after-rainsy-calls-future-protests-hun-sen-says-elections-will-not-take-place
Does Cambodia’s New Opposition Party Really Matter?
Cambodia’s former opposition leader Sam Rainsy’s reverence for political change is exceeded only by his reverence for himself as the instigator of it. That may be why, this weekend in the United States, he launched the Cambodia National Rescue Movement (CNRM), a new body that is ...
David Hutt
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/does-cambodias-new-opposition-party-really-matter/
GDP says its billboards were removed by ruling party officials
Official within the Grassroots Democracy Party threatened to pull out of the national elections in July, demanding a more positive atmosphere after ruling party officials allegedly removed GDP billboards in Battambang and Phnom Penh. ...
Mech Dara and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/gdp-says-its-billboards-were-removed-ruling-party-officials
Funcinpec shoots down rumours of Chinese VP
The royalist Funcinpec party yesterday denied local media reports that it had appointed a Chinese national as vice president. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/funcinpec-shoots-down-rumours-chinese-vp
Exiled Cambodian opposition members set up new movement
Foreign-based members of Cambodia’s dissolved opposition party have launched a movement to demand the release of its detained leader and to call for free and fair elections and possibly protests. ...
Prak Chan Thul and Simon Cameron-Moore
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-politics/exiled-cambodian-opposition-members-set-up-new-movement-idUSKBN1F3083
China Believes Cambodia's Election Will Be Fair, Confirms Support
China believes a general election in Cambodia this year will be fair, a senior Chinese official said on Thursday, after the United States and the European Union withdrew support for the vote following the dissolution of the main opposition party. China is Cambodia’s biggest aid ...
Michael Martina and Robert Birsel
http://reut.rs/2DcCI6H