Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh said Monday Prime Minister Hun Sen has expressed support for his nominee to replace Ministry of Interior Secretary of State Kieng Vang.
“I met Hun Sen Friday and Samdech told me that the government has no problem,” Prince Ranariddh said Monday at the National Assembly.
“Hun Sen asked me to appoint one undersecretary of state because then it is not necessary to go through the National Assembly,” the prince added.
Prince Ranariddh did not say whom he would nominate for the post but said, “We have already chosen.”
Kieng Vang said last week that he intends to leave Funcinpec and join the Sam Rainsy Party.
A Funcinpec official said Sunday that Prince Ranariddh earlier had agreed to honor co-Minister of Interior You Hockry’s request to appoint two-star Funcinpec General Po Lida to fill Kieng Vang’s position, which will be downgraded once Kieng Vang has been officially removed from the post.
Another Funcinpec official, however, said the prince’s proposal to appoint someone to be undersecretary of state would be unlawful, since the position does not exist within the ministry
Kieng Vang said Monday he does not have a “headache” over the issue.“I am not horrified by this withdrawal [proposal]. I do not object, because now I am in a new party and I am ready to leave Funcinpec,” he said.
Prince Ranariddh said Kieng Vang would not be punished by Funcinpec’s steering committee “because he criticized the party and the president and then left peacefully.”
“I will sign the order [Monday] because the letter has already been organized,” the prince said. “People who join Sam Rainsy are automatically withdrawn from their position.”
