The National Assembly has started taking back any equipment, including cars and laptops, used by former opposition lawmakers in light of the party’s dissolution last week, a parliamentary spokesman confirmed.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved on November 16 by the Supreme Court for allegedly attempting a so-called “colour revolution”, with government and provincial officials wasting no time to strip the country clear of any CNRP signage, while at the same time preventing elected officials from continuing their work.

Yesterday, National Assembly spokesman Leng Peng Long said that former CNRP lawmakers had been asked to return any kind of equipment or materials given by parliament, including cars, laptops and special licence plates.

“When they stopped [working], both the [lawmakers] and their assistants need to return the materials to the state for the people who are going to replace them,” he said.

He added that the Permanent Committee had decided to withhold 15 days’ worth of the former parliamentarians’ salaries.

Former CNRP lawmaker Cheam Channy said the refusal to pay them seemed to be a Labour Law violation, but added that assistants to lawmakers had already begun the process of handing over materials to the National Assembly, after receiving the directive on Monday.

“We have informed our secretaries to hand back the materials to the state and we are gradually handing it back,” Channy said, adding that around 60 percent of CNRP members had complied with the order.