Three months after Cambodia’s first ever local elections, opposition party commune council members are concerned about the state of cooperation between commune officials. They complain of a lack of structure within the councils, say that no work has been delegated to them and that incumbent council members are not informing them of council decisions.
Chim Rithy Sak, the Sam Rainsy Party’s second deputy chief of Tuol Tumpong commune, said his council’s structure is contrary to the government’s decree. “The old CPP commune chiefs have selected only their people to hold good, well paid positions,” he said.
Chim Rithy Sak said a meeting was held last week to discuss these concerns, but the opposition party members were overruled. He has since filed a complaint with the Interior Ministry and the municipality.
According to Chim Rithy Sak, Tuol Tumpong Commune Chief and CPP member Yuon Sopon said at the meeting that there was no need to discuss decentralization and that he was simply following old commune procedures.
Yuon Sopon dismissed the allegations, saying the Sam Rainsy Party members in the council, “are trying to destroy my reputation. They have always deterred our work, but I am not scared of their complaints because I have respected the law.”
You Seang Heng, the Sam Rainsy Party’s first deputy of Boeng Keng Kang III commune had similar complaints, saying that four of five Sam Rainsy Party members in the commune council have no work to do at all.
CPP commune chief Chheak Hoeung said this is because he is awaiting instruction from the Ministry of Interior.
“This is the first time Cambodia has had decentralization, so it is hard to understand,” he said.
Sam Rainsy Party member Som Robin, who is second deputy of Phsar Thmei I commune, blames a lack of communication and party favoritism.
“We have three members in the commune council but I am the only one with a chair to sit in,” he said.
The other two do not even come to work because there is nowhere for them to sit.”
