Cambodian political parties start campaign rallies for July 28 election

Supporters of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party dance under portraits of the party leaders, from left, Chea Sim, Hun Sen and Heng Samrin, during an election campaign in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, June 27, 2013. Cambodia's political parties on Thursday kicked off campaigning for the July 28 general election, which is almost certain to see the return to power of Asia's longest-serving leader, Hun Sen. (Photo : AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodia’s eight political parties set to contest in the July 28 polls began a month-long campaign Thursday with pledges to improve people’s livelihoods when they win the election.

Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People’ s Party (CPP), the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, and the royalist Funcinpec Party.

The ruling party launched its campaign with about 20,000 supporters gathering at the capital’s Diamond Island Center. The party’s leaders, including President of the Senate and Party’s President Chea Sim, President of the National Assembly and Party’s Honorary President Heng Samrin, and Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Party’s vice-president, were present at the rally to encourage their supporters.

“The July 28 election will be a big historic event and the most important event for the nation,” Heng Samrin told the rally. “Your votes will determine the destiny and future of the nation and yourselves.”
He said that making a right decision would bring further success, but a wrong decision would bring a setback and a tremendous danger for the country.

“I believe that the Cambodian people are smart enough to choose a political party that could bring them to prosperous lives, it is the Cambodian People’s Party,” he said.

Kem Sokha (Front), vice president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, attends a campaign rally in Phnom Penh June 27, 2013. Eight political parties set to contest in the July 28 polls began a month-long election campaign on Thursday. (Photo : Xinhua/Sovannara)

After the rally, the activists proceeded through main roads in the city by motorcycles and cars that were equipped with loudspeakers and decorated with the party’s logos, flags and banners.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, led by self- exiled leader Sam Rainsy, began its campaign at the capital’s Freedom Park with about 5,000 members. Kem Sokha, Party’s acting president, led the campaign, according to Ho Vann, deputy chief of the party’s disciplinary committee.

According to the party’s political platform, if winning the election, the opposition party will offer 10 U.S. dollars a month to Cambodians aged older than 65 years old, raise minimum wage for a worker to 150 U.S. dollars, increase civil servants’ salaries to 250 U.S. dollars, reduce the prices of gasoline, utilities, and fertilizer as well as provide free-of-charge healthcare services to the poor.

Sam Rainsy, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s main rival, fled the country in late 2009 before a Cambodian court sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia for two charges-removing border poles and publishing a false map of the border with Vietnam and accusing deputy prime minister and foreign minister Hor Namhong of being a member of the Democratic Kampuchea.

He is unable to return to Cambodia for the election campaign.

While the royalist Funcinpec Party, headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, held a rally in eastern Kampong Cham province.

The party’s Secretary General Nhek Bun Chhay said that some 5, 000 supporters attended the rally and marched through the provincial town to spread the party’s political platform.

He said the party launched the campaign in Kampong Cham province because Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey is a candidate in the province.

The party follows the leadership style of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, and vows to protect the monarchy regime, defense territorial integrity, and maintain peace and national unification and reconciliation.

Supporters of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) attend a campaign rally in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 27, 2013. Eight political parties set to contest in the July 28 polls began a month-long election campaign on Thursday. (Photo : Xinhua/Phearum)

The other five parties running in the upcoming election are the League for Democracy Party, the Cambodian Nationality Party, the Democratic Republic Party, the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party, and the Khmer Economic Development Party.

Security forces have been deployed among streets to ensure security and public order during the one-month campaign.

Lt. Gen. Kirt Chantharith, spokesman for the National Police, said Wednesday that about 20,000 and up to 70,000 members of the security forces would be deployed during the campaign and the election day.

According to the National Election Committee, some 9.67 million Cambodians are eligible to cast their ballots for the 123-seat parliament on July 28.

In the last election in 2008, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s party won up to 90 seats, while the opposition won 29 seats, and the royalist group got four seats.

Political analysts predict that Hun Sen’s party will win a landslide victory in the upcoming polls. <Xinhua/NEWSis>