Sam Rainsy Party officials in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district yesterday accused local Cambodian People’s Party officials of trying to bribe their members to join the ruling party.

SRP activist Puth Phanny, a Prek Koy commune council member in Sa’ang district, claimed that on Monday district council member Him Bundara had come to his house and talked with him about defecting to the CPP.

After the discussion, Him Bundara had allegedly left behind US$100 hidden in a cigarette packet.

“I could never give up on the SRP and defect to the CPP, because it would mean betraying the people who voted for me,” Puth Phanny said.

District council member Sieng Kimny and Prek Koy commune second deputy chief Chhim Uth said Him Bundara had tried to bribe Puth Phanny because the CPP was worried about the SRP’s popularity in the

area.

Chhim Uth alleged  Him Bundara, a former SRP party president who defected to the CPP in 2008, had tried to bribe SRP members many times.

Him Bundara dismissed the allegations. “In fact, [Puth Phanny] asked me to join the CPP, but I told him it would have to be done openly and he wanted to do it in secret,” he said.