Prime Minister Hun Sen speaking to more than 3,000 farmers in Kampong Chhnang province on Oct 26. - SPM
PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network): After weeks of ominous warnings against an unnamed political party over its supposed links to former opposition leader Sam Rainsy, Prime Minister Hun Sen has now revealed that he was alluding to the Candlelight Party (CP), as surmised by most observers.
The premier has claimed that CP has links to Rainsy, the former president of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) who has been publicly calling on the armed forces and citizens to rise up against the government in rebellion and who most recently insulted King Norodom Sihamoni by calling him a “traitor”.
Hun Sen called on all rank-and-file CP members to leave the party “before it is too late” and demanded that the party leaders make a public statement explaining their positions and views on Rainsy’s recent statements.
He made the call on Wednesday (Oct 26) while distributing rice seeds to more than 3,000 farmers in flood-inflicted Kampong Chhnang province and named the CP leaders its president Teav Vannol, vice-president Son Chhay and spokesman Thach Setha.
Previously, Hun Sen only warned of legal actions against the party, which he threatened to sue to have dissolved in similar fashion to the CNRP, which was disbanded in 2017.
CP was renamed in 2018 from its original name – Sam Rainsy Party – after the law on political parties banned naming parties after specific individuals.
The premier said the reason he posed his questions to CP was due to the fact that it was originally formed by Rainsy.
“Has this party cut ties with [Rainsy] or not? That’s the problem at this point,” he said. “We want to see the position of the Candlelight Party on [Rainsy’s] insults towards the King, like his saying that the King has no conscience.”
Hun Sen then went on to name the aforementioned CPP leaders and demand a public explanation from them for Rainsy’s words.
