News
Indelible ink to be used at polls put to the test
Cambodia’s National Election Committee yesterday concluded that its indelible ink – whose indelibility was called into question earlier this month when samples were reportedly washed off – is acceptable for use in the upcoming June 4 commune elections after publicly testing it on 16 people. ...
Touch Sokha and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/indelible-ink-be-used-polls-put-test
NEC considers CNRP request to reverse election rally ban
he CNRP on Tuesday asked the National Election Committee (NEC) to help reverse a City Hall ban on election marches along major Phnom Penh streets, a spokesman said. However, the NEC appeared to have drawn the opposite conclusion from their meeting. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nec-considers-cnrp-request-to-reverse-election-rally-ban-129839/
NEC’s new election ink can’t be erased, spokesman says
Testing of a new batch of election ink to be used in upcoming commune elections showed that it cannot be removed, a spokesman for the National Election Committee (NEC) said on Thursday, a day after telling reporters that samples provided by the ink supplier could ...
Ben Paviour and Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/necs-new-election-ink-cant-be-erased-spokesman-says-129599/
Women still struggle to enter political fray in Cambodia
The number of women standing in the upcoming commune elections remains low, civil society groups have warned, driven by a lack of nominations from Cambodia’s male-dominated political elite. ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/a/women-still-struggle-to-enter-political-fray-in-cambodia/3849496.html
Shifting economy feeds nation’s uncertain politics
The country is set to embark on local elections that promise to highlight the economic hardships faced by many Cambodians despite a sustained annual growth rate and continued poverty reduction, economic and political observers said this week. A report from Future Forum released on Tuesday ...
Matt Surrusco
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/shifting-economy-feeds-nations-uncertain-politics-129465/
Voter ink can be washed off, NEC admits
Less than a month before Cambodia goes to the polls, the country’s top election body on Wednesday acknowledged it had paid nearly $800,000 for indelible ink that its own tests showed could be removed using hair care products, an issue one opposition leader called a ...
Ouch Sony and Ben Paviour
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/voter-ink-can-be-washed-off-nec-admits-129469/
More than 130K: NEC gives OK to poll observers
The National Election Committee has so far approved more than 30,000 observers from NGOs for the June 4 commune elections and confirmed that more than 100,000 observers affiliated with political parties will also monitor voting. ...
Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/more-130k-nec-gives-ok-poll-observers
Security force of 30,000 ready for June elections
More than 30,000 police officers, military police and soldiers will be deployed to ensure no one can “destroy” next month’s commune elections, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said on Thursday. ...
Sek Oudom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/security-force-of-30000-ready-for-june-elections-129127/
Tbong Khmum Election Committee probes possible CPP violation
The election committee of Tbong Khmum province is investigating a complaint that the ruling CPP violated electioneering rules by posting party signs on homes before the official campaign period kicks off for the June 4 commune elections. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/tbong-khmum-election-committee-probes-possible-cpp-violation-128218/
NEC to host daily party panel discussions on television, radio
The National Election Committee will broadcast daily interview panels featuring all political parties that are running in upcoming local elections on state-run television and radio stations during the 14-day election campaign period, spokesman Hang Puthea said on Tuesday. ...
NEC shrugs off database hack
Officials and foreign donors yesterday sought to play down concerns over the security of the National Election Committee’s voter list, after anonymous leaker “Thleay” released a video appearing to show manipulation of the database and the NEC confirmed it had been hacked. ...
Ananth Baliga, Mech Dara and Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nec-shrugs-database-hack
Opposition fears voter card chance for lobbying
The opposition CNRP has cried foul over the delivery of election cards to voters, arguing that many government-aligned officials will be able to lobby for the CPP while handing out the cards. ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37565/opposition-fears-voter-card-chance-for-lobbying/
Hacker warns ‘serious vulnerability’ plaguing online voter lists
A hacker behind a series of leaks smearing senior government officials and their relatives on Thursday warned that the government’s online list of registered voters for the June 4 commune elections was vulnerable to hacking and urged experts to make the site more secure. ...
Van Roeun and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hacker-warns-serious-vulnerability-plaguing-online-voter-lists-128028/
Audit gives thumbs-up to voter list; doubts linger
Rectifying one of the greatest sources of outrage and discontent surrounding previous elections, the voter list compiled for upcoming commune elections has passed an audit with flying colors, though commentators remain skeptical as to whether the country will actually witness free and fair elections on ...
Hannah Hawkins and Van Roeun
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/audit-gives-thumbs-up-to-voter-list-doubts-linger-127920/
White Building residents asked to help CPP
Land Management Minister Chea Sophara on Friday reminded more than 200 residents and soon-to-be evictees of Phnom Penh’s iconic White Building to “help us back” by voting in upcoming elections in return for the government negotiating compensation for their properties. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/white-building-residents-asked-to-help-cpp-127793/
New campaign to educate Cambodians about June elections
The National Election Committee (NEC) on Friday launched a radio campaign to educate Cambodians about upcoming commune elections and to counter misinformation about the June 4 poll. ...
Touch Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-campaign-educate-cambodians-about-june-elections
White Building dwellers told to vote CPP for speedy eviction deal
A day before Land Management Minister Chea Sophara was scheduled to meet residents of Phnom Penh’s iconic White Building, the locale’s village chiefs promised to find a quick solution to the residents’ impending eviction – if the ruling Cambodian People’s Party fared well in the ...
Sen David and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/white-building-dwellers-told-vote-cpp-speedy-eviction-deal
US gives $1.8m funding for electoral group
The US government has agreed to provide global electoral NGO International Foundation for Electoral Systems a $1.8 million grant to ensure the National Election Committee conducts free and fair elections. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37337/us-gives--1-8m-funding-for-electoral-group/
Election day coming, many voters unsure when
With just two months to go until Cambodia’s commune elections, more than half of respondents to a new survey could not identify Election Day. The finding was detailed in a report released on Wednesday by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel) ...
Ben Sokhean and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/election-day-coming-many-voters-unsure-when-127619/
Election campaigners told to watch tongues
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng has urged political parties, politicians and activists to refrain from making controversial comments in the run-up to the commune elections. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37237/election-campaigners-told-to-watch-tongues/
Elections coalition has $170K shortfall
About $170,000 remains to be found for a coalition of watchdogs and civil society observers known as the “situation room” to successfully monitor all of Cambodia’s 2017 commune elections for irregularities. ...
Martin de Bourmont
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/elections-coalition-has-170k-shortfall
Civil society groups to watch poll
Thirty-eight civil society groups have formed a situation room to monitor the upcoming commune elections in a bid to ensure a free and fair electoral process. During a press conference in Phnom Penh yesterday, members of the situation room explained that despite having insufficient observers ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37000/civil-society-groups-to-watch-poll/
NEC says it will recognize CNRP commune election candidates
The National Election Committee (NEC) won’t stop CNRP candidates from running in June’s commune elections, even if the Interior Ministry invalidates the party’s recent change in leadership, a spokesman said on Monday amid speculation from analysts that the government was seeking to bar the opposition ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nec-says-it-will-recognize-cnrp-commune-election-candidates-127140/
PM tells politicians to play nice
Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on political parties to avoid insulting and degrading one another as campaigning intensifies ahead of commune elections in June. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36953/pm-tells-politicians-to-play-nice/