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Cambodia amends rules to scrap opposition's "minority leader" status

Xinhua, January 31, 2017 Adjust font size:

The National Assembly of Cambodia on Tuesday amended its internal rules to scrap deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha's status of the "minority leader" in parliament.

Ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP)'s 67 lawmakers, including Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, unanimously approved the amendment to Article 48 of the parliament's internal rules, as all opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers boycotted the session in protest against the revocation of the article.

To amend the rules, the parliament needed a 50 percent plus one majority vote, or 63 votes, only.

The CPP and the CNRP worked together in December 2014 to change the Article 48 of the parliament's internal rules in order to create the majority and minority leaders. The minority leader "with a rank equal to the prime minister" was the dialogue partner of Prime Minister Hun Sen on the issues of national interest.

The minority leader position had first been held by self-exiled CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, but was given to Kem Sokha in December 2016 after Sam Rainsy had been convicted, in absentia, to two years in prison over a defamation charge.

Sam Rainsy has been living in exile in France since November 2015 to avoid the prison sentence.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Tuesday that the amendment to the Article 48 was made following his initiative on Jan. 16, accusing the CNRP of misusing the position to negotiate the release of CNRP members, human rights defenders, and land rights activists who have been imprisoned for criminal offences. Enditem