Sam Rainsy Party officials are continuing to insist they won’t join a coalition with the CPP despite the ruling party’s alleged entreaties in the run-up to Sunday’s national elections.
Om Yentieng, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, approached opposition parliamentarians Son Chhay and Keo Remy to discuss the possibility of a coalition at the taping of a roundtable discussion in recent weeks, both parliamentarians said Tuesday.
“The CPP is wooing us because they see the Sam Rainsy Party is a pure, beautiful girl,” said Keo Remy. “But the main reason is that they realize we are far stronger and more popular among the voters. They know Funcinpec is losing support from the US, but we have stronger support.”
Both lawmakers said Om Yentieng was exasperated with criticism that Prince Norodom Ranariddh and other royalist leaders have heaped on the ruling party during the campaign.
Om Yentieng confirmed Tuesday that he met Son Chhay as well as Sam Rainsy and other party officials but would not comment on the reasons behind their discussions.
“We can work with anyone if they are Khmer,” Om Yentieng said.
Asked if the party could continue a partnership with Funcinpec, he said, “If Prince Ranariddh wins the election, Samdech Hun Sen won’t bother him. But if Hun Sen wins, please don’t bother us.”
Responding to media reports about the meeting, the prince on Sunday called Sam Rainsy a “hypocrite” for dealing with the CPP.
At a news conference Tuesday, a confident Sam Rainsy again vowed not to work with the prime minister while predicting a “landslide victory” for the opposition.
“I am not willing at any cost to work with Hun Sen,” he told reporters. “It would mean I betrayed the will of the people.”
He also said he had contacts within the CPP that were sympathetic to the Sam Rainsy Party and could press for a change in CPP leadership if the opposition gains enough votes.
