Showing the “real, true and honest” partnership between the CPP and Funcinpec in the new coalition government, Prime Minister Hun Sen has promised Funcinpec more positions and higher pay for every royalist member, Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh said Thursday.
The prince said he spoke with Hun Sen for more than an hour by telephone upon the premier’s return from China Wednesday, and discussed strategies to “harmonize” the partnership between the two parties.
“We all agreed that in the national government, all Funcinpec members will be accepted into all vacancies in the government,” Prince Ranariddh said at the party’s Phnom Penh headquarters.
Hun Sen promised salary increases for Funcinpec officials, Prince Ranariddh said, though he did not provide details. He added that a number of promotions would be granted to royalists in a government that many have criticized for already being overloaded with high-ranking officials.
Displaying his party’s newfound wealth after the formation of the new government, Prince Ranariddh then presided over the distribution of brand new motorbikes to about 50 royalist members at the meeting.
The distribution of motorbikes, which were provided by a businessman whom the prince did not name, was only the first of several similar hand-outs to his party members in the near future, Prince Ranariddh said.
With promises of new promotions and raises, Funcinpec’s finances appear to have been given a boost from the political deadlock. In March, ahead of Funcinpec’s coalition with the CPP, the royalist party had reported financial constraints, indefinitely postponing its annual party congress as a result.
As Funcinpec’s fortunes have reversed, so have its relations with the Sam Rainsy Party.
During his speech on Thursday, Prince Ranariddh criticized his former Alliance of Democrats partner, calling Sam Rainsy “evil.”
The prince also slipped in criticism over Funcinpec’s former minister of women’s and veterans’ affairs Mu Sochua, who defected to the opposition. Mu Sochua failed to help the party’s female members gain positions in the provinces, the prince said.
“She says she was good at protecting Funcinpec, but was not,” he said.
In response, Mu Sochua on Wednesday admonished Funcinpec for accepting more positions to the detriment of the plans for administration reforms.
Since its formation, the new Cabinet has been rebuked by observers for its size. With seven deputy prime ministers, 15 senior ministers, 28 ministers, 135 secretaries of state and at least 146 under-secretaries of state, the Cabinet is believed to be one of the largest in the world for a country of Cambodia’s size.
