Registration Lists Create a Bit of Confusion in Prey Veng

prey veng district, Prey Veng province – Voting in Prey Veng province gathered steam on Sun­day morning and appeared to proceed smoothly, marked mostly by excited confusion.

Election monitors reported prob­lems with voter lists at a number of polling stations.

Names of registered voters ap­peared to have been left off lists at a number of polling stations in Prey Veng, and in other cases voters found that people had already voted on their name, Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said Sunday.

It was too early to determine how widespread or significant the problem in Prey Veng province was, though similar problems have been reported throughout the country, Koul Panha said.

“There is some concern…. But I don’t know yet if it will affect the poll result,” Koul Panha said.

Som Ritha, a Funcinpec observer at the Svay Antor commune polling station in Prey Veng, said voting was going smoothly though some people were having diffi­culty locating their names on registration lists.

Several voters at the nearby Mebon commune station and at Beborng commune polling station in Peam Ro district appeared to have difficulty locating their names on voting lists despite having cards showing they were registered to vote.

CPP election observer Han Hoeurn also reported a smooth ballot at the Svay Antor poll station.

Prey Veng’s 11 parliamentary seats were divided seven for the CPP and four for Funcinpec after the 1998 elections. The Sam Rainsy Party supporters said they hoped to see their party make inroads this time.

Hon Sokhan, a Sam Rainsy Party observer at Svay Antor commune, said the CPP was particularly strong in Prey Veng because of floods that have hit the area in recent years and the ruling party’s links to the Cambo­dian Red Cross.

Prime Minister Hun Sen’s wife, Bun Rany, heads the Cambodian Red Cross, which has provided much of the disaster relief assistance to Prey Veng.

“I wish Samdech Hun Sen and his wife, Bun Rany, win the election,” Sam Teng, 57, said at the Beborng commune polling station in Peam Ro district.

“Since 1993 I have voted for the Thevada party because they love the people,” said Sam Teng, referring to the CPP’s logo. Sam Teng credited the ruling party with building roads and schools in the province.

The roads in Prey Veng are still “a little bumpy, but that’s no problem. A little mud is not a problem,” Sam Teng said.

 

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