Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh announced his return to politics Sunday amid speculation that he is being brought back by leader Hun Sen to bolster support for his government.
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh announced his return to politics Sunday amid speculation that he is being brought back by leader Hun Sen to bolster support for his government.
Ranariddh, son of the beloved late monarch Norodom Sihanouk and half-brother of the current king, said he was making a comeback to unite the royalist movement and has denied any alliance with Hun Sen.
But many observers believe it is a tactic by the Cambodian leader to harness the popularity of the royal family and draw support away from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which made gains in elections last July.
"My only hope is to have a voice in the parliament in order to serve the nation and to resolve national problems," the prince, who was prime minister from 1993 to 1997, told a meeting of supporters in the capital Phnom Penh.
"My objective is to reunite the people as the root of the party," he said, adding that those he referred to were royalists who supported his father, who died in 2012.
However, he did not dismiss the possibility of some kind of alliance.
"I will not hesitate to form an alliance with a party that would be with me to take care of the supreme interests of the country," he said.
Ranariddh said he would register his new Community of the Royalist People Party with the interior ministry next week.
Hun Sen ousted Ranariddh in a bloody coup in 1997, but their relationship has improved in recent years.
While not as revered as his father, Ranariddh is a popular royal figure.
He has political gravitas, although his reputation has been battered in recent years by allegations of corruption and adultery which have diminished him in the eyes of some royalists.
He was pardoned in 2008 over a conviction for fraud which saw him ejected from the royalist Funcinpec party founded by his father.
He twice entered politics after 2008 under the banner of his own Norodom Ranariddh Party, but both forays were shortlived.
Ranariddh stepped down from politics voluntarily in 2012, with senior officials in the two royalist parties seeing him as a divisive figure.
The royalists failed to win a single seat in last year's elections.
The CNRP has boycotted parliament since the polls last year, accusing Hun Sen of vote-rigging.
He has also faced mounting criticism over his rights record as well as accusations of using excessive force to disperse demonstrators.
The 61-year-old former Khmer Rouge cadre, who defected and oversaw Cambodia's rise from the ashes of war, has ruled for 28 years and vowed to continue until he is 74.
- AFP/ac
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/cambodian-prince-returns/1038052.html
10 comments:
When i read this article , i get sick in my stomach . I remember my father told me < kid you can teach monkey to do trick bud you can't teach bad man to stop lie to people . He born from a bad father he do the same as him . Just the fool still believe this opportunist again
អាក្បាលខូចនេះដូចទើបភ្ញាក់ពីដេកដឺង វាឡប់ទេដឺង
ចង់បានស្រីប៉ុន្មានទៀត?
មកម្ដងនេះទៀតក៏ប្រាកដជាឆែ្កហ៊ុនសែនដដែល ប៉ុនែ្តអនិចា្ចរ្យ ម្ដងនេះគឺ ឆែ្កលែងព្រុះ ព្រោះតែមាយាទថោក នណាគេគាំទ្រទៀត ព្រោះគេដឹងថា វានឹងទៅធេី្វឆែ្កហ៊ុនដូចតែពីមុន ប៉ុនែ្តគួរឲ្យអាណិតដែរបេីមានឆ្អឹងចោលសីុ មិនកេីតគូរតែបោះឲ្យគាត់សីុផង មេីលចុះឥឡូវនេះហាក់ដូចជាជរាពេក ហេីយម្យា៉ងទៀតដូចជាមានជមឺ្ងមិនដឹងជាដេីរឃោសនាបានប៉ុន្មានទេ !
When I see his face I want to throw up.He did not know that educated Khmers abroad and in the country hate him and his whole family who love youns and their royal families.khmer people were like slaves, How much money have you received from youns and how high as rank in youn government?Khmer surviving genocide created by AH SIHANOUK and his family
Stay in your cave we don't need you to disturb more problems. So useless , incapable stupid leadership.
Please tell this old monkey to get lost and to leave Cambodia alone. He is not in a position to lead Cambodia into the future and neither is hun sen. Also he needs to resign form his position as the king's adviser, because Cambodians have fed up with this clown already.
This guy is useless, we know his tail very well
This cockroach is coming out from hiding and want to save the nation. I think this cockroach should just stay away from Cambodia. You are useless to us.
The only thing this cockroach is good at is fucking young girls. Like father like son, useless.
How dare you show up your face again in this 21st century? You should be guillotined byinnocent Khmer people.Now you want more Khmer people to die for you?Now did youns send you out to divide SAM RAINGSY party? COME ON OLD FOX.I check your credits.The results are worse.Bye,Playboy,go to pagoda instead.
Everybody can see triple puppet face again. Ranariddh is an evildoer. Worse than dog.He is a murderer. Hey
Ranariddh , how much money do you get from your boss Hun Sen this time???????
I think it is not as much as before.
Kiss my ass.
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