Cambodian PM starts 1-month silence ahead of election

Xinhua | 2013-6-24

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday started to implement his self-imposed discipline to remain silent during a month-long election campaign for the general election on July 28.

"During the campaign period from June 27 to July 26, I will not publicly appear to do election campaign," the premier said in his last public speech during the inauguration of a Buddhist temple's praying hall in eastern Kampong Cham province.

However, he would closely monitor the upcoming election situation.

Meanwhile, the premier appealed to all levels of authorities to maintain security and public order in order to ensure a smooth, transparent, and non-violent election campaign by all political parties.

Since 1998, Hun Sen has stuck to his own principle not to deliver a speech publicly during a one-month election campaign ahead of a general election, which is held once in every five years.

Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee. Some 9.67 million Cambodians are eligible to cast their ballots for the 123-seat parliament.

Eight political parties will run in the election. Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

In the last election in 2008, Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won up to 90 seats, while the opposition totally won 29 seats, and the royalist group won four seats.

Political analysts predict that Hun Sen's party will win a landslide victory in the upcoming polls.

Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.