More than 30,000 police officers, military police and soldiers will be deployed to ensure no one can “destroy” next month’s commune elections, Interior Minister Sar Kheng said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with National Police Commissioner Neth Savoeun, Mr. Kheng said the forces would be sent to ensure there are no problems at the country’s more than 1,000 polling stations on June 4. The forces would stop anyone attempting to sabotage the election, Mr. Kheng said.
“It’s to prevent those whose purpose is to destroy the upcoming election,” he said.
“The number is the same as the past.
It’s not a lot.”
General Savoeun also announced that more than 19,000 personnel would be tasked with ensuring the election campaign—which kicks off on May 20, two weeks before the voters cast their ballots—goes off without a hitch.
The group includes more than 15,300 police officers, with about 2,000 military police and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces soldiers, he said.
