Wednesday, 3 September 2008

New Government Prepares To Swear In

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 September 2008

The National Assembly secretariat began preparations for a swearing-in ceremony to be held later this month for incoming parliamentarians, following the official announcement of election results Tuesday.

The National Assembly meeting, slated for Sept. 24, will pave the way for the selection of the National Assembly president and the prime minister, as well as the chairmen of nine commissions of the Assembly and the passage of the internal rules.

"We are being very careful about the security system, especially limiting the passage for National Assembly staff, parliamentarians and for the leadership and the king," Leng Penglong, secretary-general of the National Assembly, told VOA Khmer.

King Norodom Sihamoni will preside over the ceremony.

National Assembly security will guard within the grounds of the building, while the Ministry of Interior will be tasked with securing the area outside the compound, Leng Penglong said.

The ceremony will also include invitations to distinguished guests, including embassy representatives and international agencies, he said.

The National Election Committee announced official election results Tuesday, giving 90 of 123 National Assembly seats to the ruling Cambodian People's Party, 26 to the Sam Rainsy Party, three to the Human Rights Party, and two each to Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party.

Opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha said members of their parties will boycott the swearing-in ceremony, in an attempt to continue their complaints of voter fraud to the international community.

Sam Rainsy plans to leave for Paris on Wednesday, followed by Kem Sokha, who will leave for France on Thursday. The two will travel together to Brussels, New York and Washington DC, carrying claims that July's national election was not free and fair.

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