Opposition parties risk losing seats if merger goes ahead [An intimidation from the supposedly neutral NEC]

Im Suosdey, National Election Committee Chairman.

PHNOM PENH(Cambodia Herald) - The National Election Committee warned Friday that the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties risked losing seats won in national and local elections and on district boards if they merge.

“If they want to keep their members, commune and district councilors as well as those in parliament, the two parties must keep their party names," NEC Chairman Im Soursdey said.

"If the parties are rescinded, the National Election Committee will redistribute their seats to other parties," he told a news conference.

The two main opposition parties are scheduled to meet in Manila on July 15 to discuss a proposed merger ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.

Im Suosdey reiterated that Sam Rainsy would be disqualified for running for the National Assembly since he is a convicted criminal with no right to vote or run for public office.

He also said that the NEC planned to develop additional rules to cover campaigning by video conference, as Sam Rainsy did from exile abroad ahead of commune elections in June.

"We and the Ministry of Interior will consider what to do as we have two laws, the party management law controlled by the ministry and the election law controlled by the NEC," he added.

Sam Rainsy has been sentenced in absentia to 10 years for several offenses. His membership of parliament was revoked by National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin after the Supreme Court sentenced Sam Rainsy to two years in prison for uprooting boundary markers along the border with Vietnam.