Opposition lawmakers and some NGOs joined Funcinpec legislators in supporting a proposed law that would cap election spending and force parties to disclose campaign financing.
Funcinpec legislators accused the CPP of buying votes through campaign giveaways and control of the Cambodian Red Cross.
“It’s only fair,” Funcinpec lawmaker Keo Remy said of the election law amendment he authored recently. “The heavyweight should fight the heavyweight, the lightweight should fight lightweight.”
The amendment would limit National Assembly campaigns to $8,000 per seat, including all expenses such as car rentals, printing, T-shirts and rallies.
The newly established National Audit Authority, an arm of the Assembly, would monitor expenditures, according to the amendment. Violators would be fined 10 times the amount of the overspending. The amendment is now being discussed by a legislative committee, which must approve it before it is submitted to the full assembly.
Funcinpec legislators joined Sam Rainsy Party colleagues in accusing the ruling CPP of buying votes through donations to villagers at campaign time.
“Now, people go out and vote because they are hungry,” said Funcinpec Senator Khieu San. “They vote with their stomach, not their heart.”
“The poor will vote for any party that gives money,” added Funcinpec legislator Mon Sophan. “The country’s leader never teaches people about their right to vote, and the value of the vote.”
The bold statements are a further sign that the CPP-Funcinpec government coalition is fraying, as the royalist party fights for survival. Even the authoring of a law by a legislator, not the government, was rare until recently.
Nhem Vanthorn, executive director of the Khmer Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Organization, estimated that the political parties spent $30 million in the 1998 campaign. He said campaigns must be more transparent. “Each party has to announce publicly the amount of money they have for rallies and for the campaign,” he said.
But it may prove difficult to get parties to admit to how much they spend, predicted Prum Nhien Vichet, spokesman for the National Election Committee.
“In Cambodia, parties won’t be willing to announce the expenditures, because it is part of their campaign strategy.”
Khieu San charged that the Cambodian Red Cross, through its disaster committee, was funneling donations to CPP supporters. The Cambodian Red Cross is chaired by Bun Rany, the prime minister’s wife.
“There are no Funcinpec officials on the [Red Cross] committee,” he said. “People know that the villagers only see Hun Sen and CPP officials donating food to them…. I’m not accusing them, I just want them to please stop doing that.”
Mon Sophan claimed that the Red Cross receives names of villagers loyal to CPP from local authorities distributing donations. Funcinpec supporters usually don’t receive Red Cross food, he said. Officials from the UN’s World Food Program, which distributes the bulk of food aid in Cambodia, have denied the charges. Most donations are tied to specific programs, the WFP said.
