Election 2012

Opposition parties yesterday requested that the National Election Committee extend the voter registration period for upcoming commune elections next year by 15 days, claiming that some people had not registered due to floods and “problems” caused by officials.

“ I would like to request the NEC to consider adding time for people to have enough time to register [to vote],” HRP election affairs department director Ouk Suy said. He added that some people were not aware they had to provide legal documents such as identity cards and family books, and claimed that some people who had such documents were not added to the voter list. SRP municipal council member

Hing Sokhom said that most people who had been evicted from Phnom Penh had not received proper information about voter registration.

NEC secretary-general Tep Nytha said that the opposition parties’ claims were not supported by enough evidence and that extending the registration period would waste money.

“We want democracy for people to register but we must also think of budget spending,” he said.