VOA Khmer Masthead

Text Only Version
Search

As Administration Prepares, Policy Questions


03 September 2008
Khmer audio aired 02 September 2008 (1.11 MB) - Download (MP3) audio clip
Khmer audio aired 02 September 2008 (1.11 MB) - Listen (MP3) audio clip

As the newly elected members of the National Assembly prepare to be sworn in later this month, questions remain over what the legislative body will look like and how fair it will be in representing the voters, an analyst said Tuesday.

The ruling Cambodian People's Party officially won 90 of 123 National Assembly seats in July's election, but Lao Monghay, a researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission, warned Tuesday that the nine committees of the new parliament should reflect all parties.

The opposition Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties won 29 seats between them, representing about 1.7 million votes.

CPP officials have said they will not share with the opposition any of the nine committees, which include human rights, foreign relations, finance, health, social affairs, and others.

"They can do that by law, but it's loosing a democratic principle," Lao Monghay said. "If there is no representative of more than one million people's voice in the Assembly, it looks to fall short of democracy."

Meanwhile, he said, there has been little discussion of policy priorities in the wake of the election.

"I see only the winning party dragging smaller parties to join them, but not yet a discussion of national policy and what is the form of the government," Lao Monghay said.

There has also been no discussion on whether the CPP will rule alone or as a coalition, he said.

The new National Assembly will be sworn in at a ceremony Sept. 24, but both opposition parties have threatened to boycott the proceedings.

emailme.gif E-mail this article
printerfriendly.gif Print Version

  Cambodia News
Some Children Labor, Far From Home

  More Stories
Smart-Nosed Canines Sniff Out ‘Killers’
Proper Diet Fights Diabetes: Doctor  Audio Clip Available
Senate Commission Examines Court System  Audio Clip Available
Opponents Blast ‘Small’ Budget Allocations  Audio Clip Available
Diplomatic Exchanges Heat Up Over Temple  Audio Clip Available
Khmer Rouge ‘Confrontation’ Postponed  Audio Clip Available
Farmers Want Campaign Promises Kept  Audio Clip Available
Multiple Parties a Worry for Opposition Voice  Audio Clip Available
Typing? Consider Khmer Unicode Font  Audio Clip Available
Impunity Hurting Political 'Maturity': Official  Audio Clip Available
A Rejection of Photos, Not the Photographer  Audio Clip Available
Khmer Rouge Reenactment Filming Begins  Audio Clip Available
Three Hospitalized in Kampot Crackdown  Audio Clip Available
Former Rebels Could Confront Each Other  Audio Clip Available
Premier Lost Ally, Not Power, in Chief's Crash  Audio Clip Available
Leaders Face Another Year in Tribunal Jail  Audio Clip Available
UN Official To Arrive for Tribunal Talks  Audio Clip Available
Chinese Arrive for Talks on Trade, Relations  Audio Clip Available