Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that the CPP would prevent any plan to dethrone King Norodom Sihamoni, and accused a Funcinpec lawmaker of trying to sow division between the CPP and the King.
Hun Sen accused Funcinpec lawmaker Khek Vandy of telling King Sihamoni that CPP leaders were unhappy with him for listening to his father, retired King Norodom Sihanouk.
“The CPP does not have royal family members but it is the party which is protecting the monarchy and the throne,” Hun Sen said at the Government-Private Sector Forum in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen then read out a letter to the forum, which he said that King Sihamoni had written to Norodom Sihanouk, and which he said the King had also given to him. In the letter to his father, the King wrote that “Khek Vandy told me that the CPP leadership does not like me because I listen to you,” Hun Sen said.
“What is Khek Vandy’s purpose in splitting the King from the CPP?” the prime minister asked.
“Khek Vandy must be responsible for the information—he must officially apologize,” he added.
Hun Sen also said that Khek Vandy should not flee the country, but stay in Cambodia and clear the situation up.
Norodom Sihanouk also said in a message dated Monday and posted on his Web site Wednesday that Khek Vandy had made the same comments about the CPP to King Sihamoni.
“You don’t have to ‘listen’ and ‘follow’ me since Your Father has never tried to exercise influence over you,” Norodom Sihanouk wrote in the message, addressed to King Sihamoni. Khek Vandy, who is married to the retired King’s daughter Princess Buppha Devi, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Hun Sen said in his speech that the stability of the monarchy is key to national stability.
“We cannot have a throne crisis,” he added.
Prince Sisowath Thomico thanked the prime minister for promising to protect the throne. However he added, “the CPP is not a royalist party.”
Funcinpec Deputy President Prince Sisowath Sirirath declined to comment on Hun Sen’s speech.
