Opposition fears voter info card distribution biased towards CPP

By Touch Yuthear

The Mekong Times

Distribution of voter information cards explaining the procedure for Jul 27’s parliamentary election begins today. Koy Veit, a National Election Committee (NEC) official, said yesterday that the voter information cards, to be distributed by the NEC, will enable officially registered voters to clearly understand what is required to cast a valid ballot.“[D]ata related to voters themselves, code numbers, polling stations, the date and time of election, and official documents on voters’ identity needed for voting,” would be included on the cards, he told reporters at the NEC headquarters. Opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) parliamentarian Kuoy Bunroeun raised concerns that the distribution may not be politically neutral, causing a low turnout for opposition supporters. “[During] the Sangkat [commune] elections, we saw that the distribution of the cards was not conducted in a fair and neutral manner because of political discrimination,” he said, noting that the distribution of the voter information cards will be conducted by commune election committees. The “majority of the Provincial Election Council [PEC] officials are representatives from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party [CPP],” he claimed.Ouk Kimhan, a CPP official, dismissed such claims. “The card tells voters about their names and the location of their ballot box. It does not mean people who do not have this card cannot go to vote,” he said. “I would like to confirm that the PEC and Commune Election Council [CEC] members who will distribute the cards in the 24 cities and provinces are chosen by the NEC. Not all PEC officials are CPP members; they are from all parties. So, the accusation that all PEC and CEC officials are from the CPP is not true: I cannot accept that accusation.”Society of Justice Party President Ban Sophal said he, like other opposition politicians, want the NEC, PEC and CEC to act “with transparency in implementing their duty.”NEC Secretary General Tep Nytha denied the voter information card distribution would be politically biased. “The distribution of the card is an invitation to citizens to go and vote,” he said. The distribution will run June 5-25, 2008.