Cambodia’s ruling party claims it won all 125 seats in election

Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party yesterday said it had won all 125 parliamentary seats in Sundays general election, which critics said was neither free nor fair.

“The CPP won 77.5 per cent of the votes and won all the parliamentary seats,” party spokesman Sok Eysan said.”

The election was heavily criticised by rights groups, the US and other western countries.

The White House said it would consider more visa restrictions on some Cambodian government members, in response to “flawed elections” in which there was no significant challenger to strongman Mr Hun Sen.

Critics say the election was a backward step for democracy in Cambodia after last year’s dissolution of the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party and jailing of its leader, Kem Sokha, on treason charges.

Former opposition party president Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile, said the election was a “hollow” victory for Mr Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who has ruled Cambodia for nearly 33 years.

Apart from visa curbs imposed in December last year on government members over their clampdown on critics, the US last month levied sanctions on a high-ranking official close to Mr Hun Sen. The EU has threatened Cambodia with economic sanctions.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Sunday’s vote “failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people”.

The election campaign was marred by threats from national and local leaders, she said.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said the White House statement was an attempt to intimidate Cambodia.

“This is against the Cambodians who went to vote to decide their own fate,” Mr Phay Siphan told Reuters.

The CNRP’s deputy director of foreign affairs, Monovithya Kem, said in Jakarta yesterday that the party welcomed the White House statement and hoped others would follow.

“July 29, 2018 marked the death of democracy in Cambodia, a dark new day in recent history,” party vice president Mu Sochua said. “The result announced by the CPP and the National Election Committee must be fully rejected by the international community.”

More than 82 per cent of those registered to vote cast a ballot, the National Election Committee. Turnout was 90 per cent in last year’s local election and 69.61 per cent in the general election in 2013.

Polling stations in the capital, Phnom Penh, were quiet on Sunday, and some people said they voted to stay out of trouble with the authorities.