In a letter sent Monday, the Sam Rainsy Party has asked the National Election Committee to investigate what it alleges to be sabotage of state radio airtime.
The opposition party suspects that a static-filled broadcast of a speech by SRP President Sam Rainsy was purposefully distorted when it was aired on the state radio station FM 96 on Friday, the first day of the election camapaign period.
“In the 10 minute spot we submitted [for broadcast], I noticed that the speech of my president was not clear at all,” SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann said Monday.
“So I ask for the NEC to take any necessary measures to eliminate the disturbance as soon as possible…. National radio is not national radio; it is controlled by the CPP, and this radio always attacks the SRP party since a long time ago.”
NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha said the NEC will investigate the accusations.
“We will ask our colleagues who are responsible for this broadcast…about this matter. If there have [been] some technical or political problem, we will decide [through] this investigation,” he said Monday.
On Sunday, Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Muth Channtha aired similar complaints about the poor quality of broadcasts on TVK and state radio. He said his party would submit a formal complaint to the NEC on Monday.
Tep Nytha said late Monday afternoon that the NEC had not received any such complaints.
Muth Channtha acknowledged Monday that NRP leaders did not file a complaint though they said they would. Instead, they feel they have “raised the concerns with the appropriate people,” and they hope the NEC will compensate the NRP with more airtime, he said.
“If NEC does not give us the time, we will file a complaint,” he added.
