CPP to Make Move Over Boycott of Parliament

The CPP-controlled National Assembly will soon send the National Election Committee (NEC) a letter officially informing the body of a boycott of parliament by the CNRP’s 55 members of parliament, in what appears to be the first step in the ruling party’s threat to have the opposition party stripped of their seats. Monday will mark three months since King Norodom Sihamoni convened the current parliament with only 68 lawmakers from Prime Minister Hun Sen’s CPP in attendance. The date also marks the deadline the CPP set the opposition to either take its seats in parliament or risk losing them entirely. The CNRP is boycotting the Assembly to protest July’s national elections, which it accuses the CPP of narrowly winning through widespread fraud. If the opposition’s boycott continues until Monday, CPP Assembly President Heng Samrin will send the NEC—along with the King and the Constitutional Council of Cambodia (CCC)—a letter informing them of the CNRP’s lengthy absence, CPP lawmaker and party spokesman Cheam Yeap said Tuesday. “The letter will mention the boycott after the Assembly has continuously performed its work for three months,” Mr. Yeap said.

 Hul Reaksmey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-to-make-move-over-boycott-of-parliament-49416/