Two Funcinpec governors ousted in post-poll reshuffle

Written by Cheang Sokha

Friday, 05 September 2008 Courtesy of Phnom Penh Post

CPP continues to remove senior officials from increasingly junior coalition partner Funcinpec and has filled the posts with its own loyalists TWO Funcinpec governors have been removed from their posts in Sihanoukville and Kampot and replaced by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) deputy governors in a ceremony Thursday as part of the post-election drive to switch royalist officials with those from the ruling party. Sihanoukville Governor Say Hak has been replaced by his deputy, Sboang Sarath, and Kampot Governor Thach Khorn will be succeeded by his deputy, Khoy Khunhuor. Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng attended the handover ceremony. Sak Setha, director general of general administration at the Ministry of Information, said that the two newly promoted CPP stalwarts have been serving in their provinces for years. "The government has no more plans to reshuffle the provincial governor positions," he said. Say Hak said that as a public servant he respected the government's decision to change positions and is happy to accept whatever post he will be offered in the future. Tired of the job? "I stayed here [as Sihanoukville governor] long enough," said Say Hak, who served in the position for seven years. "I don't mind, and I am prepared to leave." It is unclear what position Say Hak is likely to receive in the new government, which will be sworn in on September 24. According to the draft list of new government positions, Kampot's Thach Khorn has been appointed secretary of state at the Ministry of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection. All Funcinpec ministers, provincial governors and ambassadors have lost their posts following the July 27 general election, in which the CPP won a resounding majority in parliament. The Interior Ministry's Sak Setha said that the government has appointed one additional provincial deputy governor for Siem Reap, taking the number of governors and deputy governors in the province to 13.