The opposition party, which won more than 300 seats in the provincial/municipal and district council election on Sunday’s polls, will monitor and review the implementation of the administrative structure levels. An election observer, however, felt that there is “not much hope” of positive changes as the opposition holds “no power” in making decisions.
National Election Committee (NEC) spokesperson Hang Puthea declined to reveal preliminary election results as the “figures might change owing to complaints from political parties”. “The NEC will announce the official results on June 8 when complaints are completely resolved.”
Puthea, however, mentioned that the voter turnout was 99.77 percent, with 24 voters absent. The absentees include those who were detained, traveling abroad or did not possess ID cards or council ID cards with their commune positions.
Meanwhile, Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) spokesperson Sok Eysan shared the preliminary results, with CPP obtaining 9,986 votes, equivalent to 86.34 percent while Khmer Will Party received 1,286 votes or 11.12 percent.
The Nation Power Party got 268 votes, Khmer National United Party (16 votes), and Funcinpec Party (10 votes), Eysan said.
He declined to comment on further questions as he was busy in a meeting.
The provincial, municipal and district council election was held on May 26, for the fourth mandate, which saw the election of roughly 4,000 councilors.
There were 11,622 commune / sangkat council seats contested in this council election where 4,200 councilors were elected. This includes 559 members of the capital and provincial councils and 3,641 municipal or district councils and khan members. There were 209 polling stations nationwide.
The incumbent council for CPP comprised 9,376 voters, Khmer Will Party (2,198 voters) including those from Candlelight Party, 19 voters from Funcinpec and Khmer United National Party (11 voters).
Khmer Will Party secretary-general Kong Monika said there was a decline of about 100 votes from the opposition party, in comparison to the senate election.
He claimed that there were inadequate voters as some councilors had invalid ID cards while some voters were allegedly “intimidated” or “bribed” to not vote for their own party.
“Although it is a small representation [councilors] at the provincial, municipal and district levels, I think it is a good start because since the dissolution of CNRP, we did not have any council representatives for villagers but now there are,” Monika said.
His party cannot assume the council chairman position because they received less votes, he commented, adding that they secured 50 to 55 seats of provincial councils and about 300 seats in the municipal and district councils.
Monika said, “We have some councilors [who will act as our] as our eyes and ears to look out for people who face challenges and share the information with [our] three elected senators [Khmer Will Party] so that they can raise the issues and urge the government for a resolution.”
Sharing similar outcomes from the election, Power Nation Party vice president Chea Mony said his party won eight provincial council seats and 76 district or Khan council seats.
“It is difficult that the new democracy has started within the old government leadership as we know people who have been struggling for their rights and freedom, who have been detained or have fled the country,” Mony said.
“Now we have joined with them, it won’t be a big success as our voice as councilors is small but it’s a start [with multiple parties involved],” Mony said.
He said Power Nation Party councilors will do their jobs effectively and serve people’s interest fairly and justly.
Funcinpec Party spokesperson Nhoeurn Raden said the party is verifying the figures with the NEC, noting that they will have some district level councilors.
“District councilors will help carry out work effectively at grassroot levels,” he said, declining to comment further.
Meanwhile, Committee for Free and Fair Election in Cambodia monitoring and advocacy program coordinator Korng Savang said the opposition “cannot change anything” in relation to decision-making because of their comparatively smaller representation.
“For me, I can’t see any change because the opposition party’s provincial, municipal, district council members are very tiny,” he said, adding that their “voice will be small”.
“If there was a bigger voice, it will influence decision-making or leadership […] but even though it is small, it is important that [opposition] voices within the council are heard in order to know [situation] and provide some opinion,” Savang said.
