The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) nominated Prach Chan, head of the National Assembly’s (NA) First Commission, as the new chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC).
The nomination will now be forwarded to the NA Plenary session for a vote of confidence.
NA spokesman Leng Peng Long told The Post that the CPP had decided to send their nomination to the NA on the morning of June 16.
He said that after receiving the list of official candidates, the NA will convene a plenary session next week, though it has yet to set a specific date.
“The official period that the CPP is required to nominate a candidate is three days from June 15-17. Then the NA will convene a meeting of the Permanent Committee and set the agenda for next week’s plenary session, including voting on nominated candidates.”
He added that on June 16, Chan resigned as chairman of the NA’s First Commission and the NA’s human rights commission for investigation and relations.
Chan used to serve in the cabinet of the CPP’s Central Committee. He is also a former governor of Battambang and Tbong Khmum provinces as well as a member of the NA representing Tbong Khmum. He declined to comment on his candidacy when reached for comment on June 16.
Sam Kuntheamy, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, said although the selection process for the new NEC chairman was not yet comprehensive or transparent, he hoped the new NEC chairman would implement the law in accordance with the Constitution.
“Now that the CPP has decided to select a candidate, I have a request for the new NEC chairman: Abide by the Constitution. The law establishing the NEC requires that the NEC be independent, not under the influence of any party. Otherwise, other political parties will file complaints during the elections,” he said.
The selection of a new NEC chairman came about after former NEC chairman Sik Bun Hok – who had been the NEC chair since 2015 – resigned from the post, citing poor health as the reason for his departure.
