Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Sokha arrest won’t impact voter registration: NEC

Sokha arrest won’t impact voter registration: NEC

A woman has her fingerprint taken during the first round of digitised voter registration at an office in Phnom Penh late last year. Hong Menea
A woman has her fingerprint taken during the first round of digitised voter registration at an office in Phnom Penh late last year. Hong Menea

Sokha arrest won’t impact voter registration: NEC

The National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday said the recent political developments involving the detention of Cambodia’s opposition leader would not affect its efforts to register eligible voters ahead of next year’s national elections, though an observer said the arrest put the legitimacy of the electoral process at risk.

The electoral body started the registration process on Friday and had registered around 20,000 voters in the past four days.

NEC spokesman Hang Puthea seemed unfazed by the potential effects that the arrest of Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Kem Sokha might have on the electoral process.

“The incident happened recently and the NEC could not take the responsibility [to deal with it], but the NEC’s task is the technical work,” he said. The NEC was solely focused on following electoral law, he added.

Sokha was arrested around midnight on Sunday for alleged treason relating to a 2013 video of him speaking to supporters in Australia, in which he claimed to have US assistance in his political career.

However, Sam Kuntheamy, head of election monitor Nicfec, said the arrest of an opposition leader was bound to affect the elections next year if the primary opposition remains leaderless. “If there is no leader, the decision will not be made smoothly and it affects democracy as well,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • EU’s Sokha resolution ‘a sovereign rights breach’

    The National Assembly (NA) said the European Parliament (EP) did not respect the Kingdom’s independence and sovereignty when it passed a resolution strongly critical of the recent conviction and sentencing of former opposition leader Kem Sokha for “treason”. On March 16, the EP issued a