The Cambodia National Rescue Party yesterday issued a directive to its members and supporters to steer away from using inflammatory rhetoric, saying insulting, immoral and bad words have for too long plagued Cambodia’s political discourse and damaged the Kingdom’s “dignity and prestige”.

Since signing a deal to smooth political relations and start a so-called “culture of dialogue” in July 2014, politicians from both parties have undermined several pledges to stop personal attacks on their opponents.

Yesterday, the CNRP again called for “leaders, activists and supporters . . . to maintain dignity and high morality, and avoid insulting and using insulting words” when expressing their views via media.

CNRP president Sam Rainsy, who has long traded heated barbs with Prime Minister Hun Sen, said the statement was the result of a meeting between acting CNRP president Kem Sokha and the premier on Wednesday.

Cambodian People’s Party spokesman Sok Eysan said he would “wait and see” whether the announcement would work, adding he doubted Rainsy – who has continued attacking the politically sensitive links between the government and Vietnam via Facebook in recent weeks – would abide by the pledge.

But via email, the CNRP leader, who is currently living abroad to avoid seemingly politically motivated charges, claimed he didn’t make things personal.

“As for me, contrary to Hun Sen over the last few months, I have never evoked any personal issue, feeling or resentment as a pretext to increase the political tension at the national level,” said Rainsy.