Election watchdog Comfrel has called on the National Election Committee to step up its efforts to educate the public about the upcoming voter registration period.

Comfrel director Koul Phana yesterday expressed concern that the NEC has not begun its voter registration information dissemination, particularly via TV announcements – which remain the primary resource for people in the provinces, he said.

“The NEC has not started yet, especially on mainstream media,” he said. “[It] must begin its campaign as it is close to [the registration date].”

The registration period for the country’s nearly 9.6 million eligible voters runs September 1 to November 29. Individuals must register in the commune where they live.

“The NEC has seven educational spots, five minutes each, and plans to broadcast them on state TV,” NEC spokesman Hang Puthea replied yesterday, adding a meeting is planned for August 12 to ask media to help share the information.

Phana also suggested that the NEC send information to migrant labourers working outside the country, but Puthea said the NEC has no program to target Cambodian’s abroad.