NEC concludes candidates’ electoral list for Bokor City council election

NEC concludes candidates’ electoral list for Bokor City council election

The National Election Committee (NEC) has concluded the registration of political parties and the electoral list of candidates for the first Council Election for the newly created Bokor City in Kampot province, where four political parties have registered.

The NEC announced yesterday that the last submission of the candidates’ lists from four parties for the Bokor City Council Election ended on Monday at 5.30pm, five days (since May 6) after it opened for all legible political parties to register.

Candidates that are contesting for positions are from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), the Cambodian Youth Party (CYP), Cambodian Nationality’s Party (CNP), and the royalist Funcinpec, which is not officially recognised as a canditate yet as it submitted its application on Monday and it takes five days to review.

The NEC has announced that the Council Election for Bokor City in Kampot province will be held on July 25. This Council Election is not for the general public to cast their votes.

Since the three communes of Bokor City – Boeng Touk, Koh Touch, and Prek Tnort – already exist under the Toek Chhou district, the current commune councillors are the only members to cast a vote.

NEC said the Kampot Provincial Election Commission has officially recognised the registration of three political parties (CPP, CYP, and CNP) and the list of its candidates for the Bokor City Council Election.

However, for the Funcinpec party, the provincial Election Commission will consider and decide on the application for registration of political parties to stand for election within five days.

According to NEC, the CPP has registered 13 full candidates and 15 reserve candidates, the CNP 13 full candidates and 15 reserve candidates, the CYP 13 full candidates and 13 reserve candidates, and Funcinpec has nominated 13 full candidates and 13 reserve candidates.

NEC spokesman Hang Puthea said yesterday that all new city councillors will take office “not more than 14 days” after the official results are announced.

He noted that NEC needs five days to review the application forms for the Funcinpec party, which just submitted its document on the last day of the registration period.

“If we check and find the documents are correct, we will recognise them, but if there are inaccuracies, for example, the candidates’ names will not be on the voter list, and thus they do not have the right to vote, or if they violate any other conditions, the NEC will reject them,” he said.

According to the Law on Elections of Capital Council, Provincial Council Municipal Council, District Council, and Khan Council which adopted by legislative bodies in 2008, the councils will have a five-year mandate, which will end when the new council takes office.

The mandate of the council shall commence from the date of its election and end on the date of the subsequent council elections.

Asked if the NEC is concerned over the Bokor City Council Election amid the COVID-19 community outbreak, Puthea said it is of less concern as NEC has prepared well for it.

“We are 100 percent confident because the electorate is councillors from three communes who know clearly how to protect themselves and adhere strictly to the COVID-19 preventive measures,” he added.

The CYP president Pic Sros said yesterday that the Bokor City Council Election competition is being held in accordance with the law.

“We participate in the competition based on our ability to stand for election,” he said.

“We always hope to win seats in competitions. So our Cambodian Youth Party has also registered to compete,” he added. “We also do not mind if we do not get the seat because it is a competition and we cannot force the electorate to vote for us.”

Ministry of Interior secretary of state Sak Setha said that 13 councillors will be elected, although their specific position for each task will not be determined immediately.

The member to receive the most votes, Setha said, will become the chairman of the council.

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a sub-decree on March 16, to establish a new city in Bokor National Park in Kampot province.

According to the sub-decree, the new city is named “Bokor City”, and includes three communes – Boeng Touk, Koh Touch, and Prek Tnoat.

The government announced the plan to build a city in Bokor National Park in August 2019. The master plan – “Master Plan for Bokor City Development Project until 2035” – stated that the new city will occupy about five percent of land in Bokor National Park or about 9,000 hectares.

Regarding the timeframe of the result announcement, Setha said that the result will be announced no later than one week after the election, as stated by the election calendar released on April 29, provided everything goes as planned. Khmer Times