State Vehicles Used in Campaign: Official

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh 10 July 2008

Khmer audio aired 10 July 2008 (1.18 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 10 July 2008 (1.18 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Opposition candidate Son Chhay said Thursday government vehicles were being used in the election campaign.

Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay, the Sam Rainsy Party election candidate for Phnom Penh, called on the Ministry of Interior Thursday to crack down on vehicles without license plates during the campaign period.

Vehicles with no license plates likely belong to police, military and other state officials who have removed them in order to help the Cambodian People's Party campaign, Son Chhay said in a letter to the ministry.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said there were some vehicular irregularities during the campaign, but the ministry had not issued an order to curb the practice.

People were using their own personal vehicles to help the campaign, he said.

Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said the city's busy environment during the campaign made it "very difficult" to enforce license plate regulations.

Son Chhay's letter follows accusations from the opposition party's Kampot province candidate, Mu Sochua, that government and military officials there are using state vehicles for campaigning.

No complaints involving the use of state vehicles has been registered with city election authorities, said Lon Cheng Kay, Phnom Penh municipal election committee chairman.

"Some vehicles, such as police or military police, are individually owned and are not state property," he said.