NEC Dismisses Complaints of Voter Fraud

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh 14 August 2008

Khmer audio aired 14 August 2008 (1.43 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 14 August 2008 (1.43 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The opposition party on Thursday criticized as partial and political the National Election Committee's denial of its voter fraud complaints, as the Cambodian People's Party and Funcinpec decided on a reduced number of positions in the new government.

The NEC on Tuesday struck down the Sam Rainsy Party complaints of widespread voter irregularities.

The NEC said Tuesday not enough evidence had been presented to warrant a public hearing over the alleged irregularities.

The Sam Rainsy Party said Wednesday it would appeal to the Constitutional Council.

The complaints included allegations that local officials had distributed an identification form, No. 1018, in lieu of photo identification, allowing for ineligible voting.

"We are very disappointed for the denial by the NEC, and call the denial not in comformity with the law, because we have full witnesses and documents in our complaint," said Kong Sam On, SRP lawyer in charge of election complaints. "We have evidence enough about the irregularities, including more than 3,000 witnesses who have real addresses and form No. 1018 illegally issued by commune officials."

NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha defended the decision, as "following the law and NEC procedure."

As the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties maintained a denial of the election results Wednesday, Funcinpec prepared to join the government with less posts than in the past.

CPP spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday Funcinpec members will hold positions in government such as deputy prime minister, senior minister, or secretary of state, but there would be no Funcinpec ministry heads.

The CPP will lead all of the ministries, he said.

"We are preparing the list for government posts," Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bunchhay said Thursday. "There are at least 62 people: one for deputy prime minister, four for senior minister from former ministers...and the remaining are secretary of state and undersecretary of state."

"This is our pride, to get some government posts, if we get two seats in the Assembly. All of these positions are concessions and gifts from the CPP, because we used to work together," he said. "If we didn't get the government posts, we would have been disappointed, because we got a bad result from the election."