Members of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC) will elect a new president for its 13th mandate on October 16.

Five candidates are competing for the position – Ly Chantola, Ket Khy, Sam Sokong, Sek Sophoan and Sar Sovann.

Ly Chantola, 42, has been a lawyer for almost 20 years with lawyer ID 581. He is currently a lawyer at SVP law firm. Chantola graduated from the Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE) in 1999 with a Cambodian bachelor’s degree in private law.

He also received a French bachelor’s degree in private law in 2000. Then he received a scholarship from the French government to pursue his studies in France. In 2002, he received his master’s degree from Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University.

In 2009, he was appointed by the King as a member of the Council of Ministers’ Council of Jurists and was later promoted to deputy chairman of the Council of Jurists – with a rank equivalent to minister.

If elected as BAKC president, Chantola said he is committed to fixing the bar’s shortcomings and strengthening the capacity of existing lawyers. He also said he will train new lawyers and strengthen the cooperation and understanding with national and international institutions, especially with judicial police and prison departments, and the courts.

He said he would encourage all BAKC members to be more active in supporting the BAKC and in helping promote the legal profession.

He also said he would protect the interests of lawyers and contribute to social justice. In addition, as one of the institutions that support the field of justice, he said the BAKC would cooperate equally with the government and all institutions and organisations for the benefit of the legal profession.

Ket Khy is 53 years old. He has been a lawyer for more than 20 years with ID number 079 at the Light of Justice law firm. In 2000, he graduated from RULE with a bachelor’s degree in law. He graduated from the university with a master’s degree in private law in 2006.

He also received a professional lawyer certificate in 1997. In 1990, he graduated from the School of Administration and Law with a law diploma. In 1998, he acted as a member of the Phnom Penh Municipal Election Commission. In 2008, he acted as a parliamentarian of the former Sam Rainsy Party in Kampong Thom province. From 2012 to 2013, he was elected as a parliamentarian again in Kampong Thom.

From 2014-2017, he served as the deputy secretary-general of the General Secretariat of the National Assembly.

If elected as BAKC president, he vowed to protect, promote and strengthen the profession of lawyers, manage lawyers in a transparent and corrupt-free manner and join to fight injustices. He said the BAKC will protect colleagues who are wrongly accused of practising their professions illegally.

He vowed to strengthen the capability of lawyers with quality, virtues, independence and dignity in compliance with laws, code of ethics and internal rules. He will protect and strengthen the roles of lawyers by not allowing other individuals or institutions to violate the legal profession. He will review the BAKC organisational structure, its work, administrative staff and finances.

Additionally, he will advocate for and protect citizens’ rights and provide legal aid services to poor people so they have the rights equal to the rich and powerful. He said he will study all the main decisions of other courts and institutions for advocacy.

Sam Sokong, 45, has been a lawyer for nearly 20 years with ID 321. Currently, he is a lawyer at the BBC Office. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law in 2001 and a master’s degree in law in 2014. He also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English literature in 2010. He is now studying for his master’s degree in international law in English at Pannasastra University of Cambodia.

He has been a part of a team of national lawyers representing civil parties at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) since 2010. He used to be a legal adviser at the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) and the National Assembly in the fifth mandate. He also used to be a member of the board of directors of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

If elected as president, Sokong vowed to strengthen the BAKC’s internal solidarity.

He said the BAKC could not allow any institution or individual to be violated and its members must protect common interests together. He added that the management of the BAKC must adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability to prevent corruption.

He said he would strengthen cooperation with international lawyers. He vowed to modernise and streamline the BAKC’s administration and financial management. He said he wants the BAKC to be independent and free from any political party or institution.

In the past, some lawyers have committed misconduct by working for other institutions, he said. Some others have served a political party, thereby affecting the professions of lawyers. The capability of lawyers is limited, he added. There are many lawyers, but compared with international lawyers, their capabilities remained very low.

Sek Sophorn, 45, has been practising law for nearly 10 years with ID 817. Currently, besides leading the Lawyer Firm Office R &L, he is also a legal adviser to the World Bank. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law in 1999 and a master’s degree in private law in 2008. He has experience serving civil servants and working with NGOs. He used to be an official of the UN and a professor of law for 10 years.

If elected, Sophoan vowed to change the way presidents are elected. None of the candidates would be allowed to spend their own money to host parties because they are used to garner support; all candidates have an equal right to demonstrate their capabilities, he said. Additionally, he also plans to create a 10-year joint strategy to lead the BAKC so that he might prepare principles to lead the institution and the professions in line with the BAKC’s values.

When contacted on Tuesday, Sar Sovann said he was ill and could not comment.

The BAKC president has a two-year mandate and will be elected with votes by 2,000 members of the BAKC.