NEC seeks weekly security assessments until elections
THE National Election Committee (NEC) instructed the municipal and provincial election commissions to request cooperation from the provincial board of governors to hold joint weekly meetings in-person or online. The meetings are to ensure that the coming commune council elections will run smoothly and are scheduled from now until after the elections are completed.
In a letter addressed to the NEC’s Secretariat of Electoral Security and the Commune Election Commission, NEC chairman Prach Chan said the joint meeting were being organised in order to guarantee a safe, secure and orderly election environment without intimidation, threats or violence.
The letter added that the commune council could also convene extra meetings as necessary to discuss security work and take any necessary measures and seek appropriate solutions to any conflicts or challenges that may arise.
“Each commune election commission must make regular reports on its security situation to the NEC’s security secretariat ahead of the elections. The secretariat will report these to the NEC.
“If necessary, each commission may ask the secretariat director to request rapid decisions from the NEC leadership regarding prompt actions that may be needed to improve the security situation,” the letter added.
NEC spokesman Hang Puthea told The Post that the security and order of the commune election process was the role of all stakeholders to cooperate and did their best to make the elections run smoothly and free from violence.
He said the NEC and the ministries of Interior and National
Defence have signed an agreement to maintain security during the elections. In addition, the three parties meet weekly to solve any problems that occur.
“We do this in order to maintain security, safety and social order in order to serve a peaceful election. In order to be more effective, the municipal and provincial commissions should always invite stakeholders – including political parties – to discuss issues together. The election is a joint task,” he said.
Ly Sary, deputy governor of Banteay Meanchey province,
told The Post on April 24 that under the government’s guidance, the interior ministry and the provincial NEC – as well as the provincial authorities – have been cooperating with all relevant parties to ensure that the election goes smoothly according to the NEC programme.
“We follow the guidelines and principles of the NEC as well as the interior ministry. To ensure that parties do not clash with each other, we help protect one another and respect each other. As instructed, we will tolerate no abuse,” he said.