(Phnom Penh): Interior Minister, Mr. Sar Kheng reminded citizens not to hold a rally to overthrow the Royal Government because the democratic system, the citizen must be ready to vote every five years to elect their representatives. In the election of 2018, some pro-CNRP citizens were disappointed that their beloved party had been dissolved and banned from voting. Observers say that Sam Kheng’s appeal is only to appease the people but not to the reality of the will of the people.
In the context of the Constitution, Cambodia adheres to a pluralist regime. The members of parliament represent the will of the people. The Royal Government is a law enforcement body. However, the will of the people determines the fate of each political party whether the party should become the government and, once every five years. But the 6th parliamentary election – a large opposition party that balances its political power with the ruling party – missed the contest by the Supreme Court dissolving the party. However, Mr. Sar Kheng told the people who want to exchange the regime, do not use the violence to overthrow the government yet to vote in the election, which he said every five years is far better.
At the inauguration of a bridge in Batdong province on Wednesday, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said that Cambodia is now fully peaceful and free to expand its business, yet he doesn’t want to see any progress and told people, do not believe the lobbying of some politicians who are aiming to mobilize or protest against the Royal Government or to overthrow the government. He said that the will of the people was to emerge from the election in the election of his representative, saying that it was better than a revolt to overthrow the government.
Mr. Sar Kheng: Well, then we are trying to promote peace in the country and defeating the government is not the right decision! And when we do this, it is like Cambodia! And if it does, we don’t know when we can rebuild it again! And democracy is every five years! And if we want to change that, we vote to make it legal.
He said that history has shown that the overthrow of the national government will be difficult to recover.
He said this as the CNRP’s acting president, Sam Rainsy, announced plans to return to Cambodia without the Prime Minister’s blue light.
Mr. Rainsy claimed to be returning to Cambodia soon to mobilize the masses to rescue Cambodia, which he aims to arrest Priminister Hun Sen. Sam Rainsy said, Cambodia must re-vote because the 2018 parliamentary election and the dissolution of the CNRP from voting are already violating the will of the CNRP supporters.
Cambodian political analyst Em Sovannara seems to disagree with Mr. Sar Kheng’s words. He believes that dissolving the CNRP’s commune council election results is an erosion of the will of the voters. He said that until the 2018 parliamentary elections, where the largest opposition party did not have a chance to participate and some voters cast their ballots to be useless, the election was not based on democratic principles.
Mr. Em Sovanaara continues: Voting in that commune! People supported and elected their commune representatives, of whom more than 500 have lost what is called the people’s will. Ah, that’s it! they did not see citizenship or people’s choice when dissolving the CNRP! The government does not respect the spirit of the opposition already!
However, Cambodia is under pressure from the international community, especially the European Union and the United States, to restore democracy by dissolving the opposition, which the Supreme Court-dissolved in November 2017. It also requires re-election.
Written by Serey Vaddhanak