Cambodia's fifth National Assembly on October 10 convened its first plenary session to elect members for the body's nine committees, while the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) continues to boycott the parliament over July's disputed election.

Under the chair of NA Chairman Heng Samrin, 68 lawmakers of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) elected the members of the committees. Prime Minister Hun Sen was absent from the session as he was participating in the 23 rd ASEAN Summit in Brunei.

After the session, the Cambodian NA will operate as the country’s supreme legislative body .

All seats in the leadership board of the NA and its nine committees are now held by CPP lawmakers.

Talking to the media, Heng Samrin said that the CNRP’s boycott of the NA doesn’t affect the body’s operations. However, he called on the party’s lawmakers to change their stance and participate in NA sessions for the interest of the country.

The leadership change will be put on the table only when the two parties reach a political consensus, he added.

Meanwhile, CNRP lawmaker Ho Vann said that his party would continue to boycott the parliament until there was an appropriate solution to the political crisis.

He said the CNRP plans to organise a three-day mass protest, starting on October 23 in Phnom Penh in order to seek the intervention of the United Nations in the dispute.

The National Election Committee recently released the final results of the July 28 election, confirming that the CPP won 68 seats while the CNRP took the remaining 55 seats.

The CNRP rejected the results and was demanding the establishment of an independent probe committee.-VNA