Cambodian ruling party's congress concluded, setting strategy for victory in upcoming elections

The 40th convention of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP)'s Central Committee concluded on Sunday, setting out a strategic plan to increase the party's popularity ahead of elections in upcoming years, said CPP spokesman Sok Eysan.

"Our strategy includes the acceleration in the development of villages and communes to win the people's hearts," CPP's spokesman Sok Eysan told reporters after the two-day congress.

"We have strong confidence that the CPP will continue to win in the commune election in 2017 and the national election in 2018," he said.

The CPP has ruled the country since 1979. Its Central Committee consists of 545 members.

The congress was presided over by CPP's president Samdech Techo Hun Sen, who is the prime minister of Cambodia.

According to a communiqué, the congress had defined important tasks to continue carrying out plans to achieve victory in upcoming elections.

"The convention instructs working teams, party committees at all levels, and all party officials to continue to stay with local levels -- either in villages, communes, ministries or in their own institutions -- to find out and to resolve hardships and requests of our people," the communiqué said.

It added that the convention would promote the tasks of keeping firm stability, security, public order, and social safety in order to ensure peaceful livelihoods of the people.

"The CPP fully supports campaigns to combat theft, murder, armed robbery, drug, illegal logging, land confiscation, fishing, mining, sand pumping business and checkpoints," the communiqué said. "Those who commit these offences must be brought to justice."

It said that the convention would continue to maintain economic growth within 7 percent in 2017, while further reducing poverty rate.

Cambodia is scheduled to hold the commune election in June 2017 and the national election in July 2018.

In the last commune election in June 2012, the CPP swept 1,592 of the kingdom's 1,633 commune chief seats, while in the last national election in 2013, the CPP won an absolute majority vote, receiving 68 parliamentary seats against 55 seats for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. Enditem