The National Election Day in Cambodia 2013 and Temporary Result

July 28, 2013 was the important day of the fifth national election process in Cambodia. After the unusual movement throughout Cambodia on Saturday to the election center was completed, the vote was done on Sunday from 7:00AM to 3:00PM with the cold weather and raining. One by one came to the center, but there were not many people during 7:00AM; they came to vote later until 3:00PM. Both election committee and voters cooperated very well in most of the election center. However, only some centers encountered the conflict because of the attendance of Vietnamese voters that caused Cambodian residents to get very angry, especially a center in Phnom Penh. There is no clear information yet regarding to this issue why Vietnamese voters appeared in these centers. Even though there was the bad information on the conflict in Phnom Penh, the other election centers completed their mission and got the vote from most of citizens until 3:00PM. Then the election committee in each center along with other stakeholder like COMFREL counted the vote for 8 political parties; only two parties showed the strong support are CPP (Cambodian People Party) and CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party). Within the Sangkat and Commune level, there is the tough competition of the vote in each province-city. At last, the temporary result from Bayon TV in the evening of July 28, 2013 showed that the winner is CPP for most of province-city while CNRP won only in 5 province-city such Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham, Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kompong Speu. It should be noticed that CNRP seems to get more support in the residential center than CPP. For instance, CNRP won the election at Sangkat Svay Por of Battambang Town. In short, there will be the real figure for who is the winner after the verification completed and internationally acknowledged as well as the right solution for the current issue occurring during the election process. Anyway, CNRP and CPP will be expected to hold hand for the next mandate since they seem to get similar seat; the political stability and strong economic growth are the things the residents wish for after this election. Personally, there is an appeal for all to use the peaceful method to solve any political conflicts for the benefits of Cambodia. “Please refer to the past experience before you take any actions!”

By: Pok Panhavuth

Ending of National Election Campaign and Going to Vote in Cambodia 2013

Election is becoming more important in the concept of all residents in Cambodia. Historically, Cambodia already went through the national elections since 1950s even though it was not described as the proper arrangement while most of Cambodian did not really understand what the election was for and how the evaluation criteria should they consider before making decision. Anyway, there was more than one political party at that time to do the campaign for the election.

Dividing by the war period of 1970s, the first national election in 1993 of the second Kingdom of Cambodia was conducted with the assistance from the United Nations and the large population of Cambodian going to vote. We could see that two political parties won at the same time resulting Co-Prime Minister mandate, but at last in 1997 only one political party stood by and got more supporting vote again and again until today. Besides the conflict of politics, the social welfare and economic growth were seen as better than before. However, the most concern about Cambodia nowadays is related to the corruption, the conflict of interest, the confiscation of residential housing in various places (Boeung Kok, Borey Keyla….), the long-term land concession, deforestation, the weak natural resource and mineral management, social security, the increasing of Vietnamese population throughout Cambodia, the effect of Xayaburi Dam of the upper Mekong River over Cambodia in the future, salary, the long-term autocracy and the territorial border conflict with neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. That’s it leading towards the slogan “Change or Not” in the 2013 national election campaign while the new political parties running by Mr. Sam Rainsy just getting royal pardon as well as more supports in term of the good leadership. Around 1 month of the national election campaign by many political parties, only two main competitors appear to get strong support from residents, one led by Mr. Sam Rainsy and other led by current Prime Minister Hun Sen. At the public area, people asked each other about the election, “Change or not?” becomes more common among all Cambodian citizens and more people in this mandate seem to get interesting about the election and participate as the sign to set the destiny of Cambodia by going to the search for their name in the website of voter list (www.voterlist.org.kh). Surely, the campaign just ended yesterday and today all residents are going to do the movement to their election center. The hope and new perspectives will tell them which criteria are good and they are looking forward to finding the right political party for the next mandate.

In the conclusion, the election is meaning as the way to lead the country by choosing the best leader in order to find the right solutions for the today important issues, especially improving social welfare and the strong economic growth. It has been about 20 years Cambodia has been going on the journey towards the development in the condition of the world free market and the democracy. Whatever it is, the lesson from the past political and development situation must be in the mind of each leader what kind of strategy should be used and how to make those in reality in compliance with the current situation of Cambodia. Foreign support is good, but the independence and the creative idea of each leader might be much better for the sake of Cambodia. “Thanks all for the Best Effort to better Cambodia!”  “Strongly support for the good leadership towards the better future of Cambodia!” “Yesterday is History! Tomorrow is Mystery! But Today is a Gift!”

By: Pok Panhavuth

Special of Mr. Pek Mi and Other Singers from Town and Rock

Gift Song of Sin Sisamuth