Cambodian opposition party boycotts parliamentary meeting

Phnom Penh (VNA) – All lawmakers of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) boycotted the session of the National Assembly of Cambodia in Phnom Penh on January 31 in protest against the amendment to its rules to scrap the status of "minority leader" in parliament.

The irregular meeting was chaired by NA Chairman Samdech Heng Samrin and attended by 67 lawmakers of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

With 67 approval votes, the Cambodian NA ratified the amendment to the Article 48 of its internal rules to scrap the minority leader position.

With the new regulations, Acting President of CNRP Kem Sokha was removed from the position of "minority leader" in parliament.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen said dialogues will be remained with the opposition party via the NA Standing Committee, adding that he plans to rewrite the law on political parties, stipulating that those who commit crimes are not eligible to be President of a political party.

On December 7, 2016, the acting leader of the opposition party of Cambodia Kem Sokha returned to attend the National Assembly's plenary session as the parliament’s minority leader after one year of absence when he was removed from his position as the First Vice President of the NA of Cambodia in late October 2015.

The National Assembly's plenary session was chaired by President Samdech Heng Samrin, with the participation of 65 legislators of the ruling Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) and 39 others from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

The Parliament of Cambodia consists 123 seats, of which the CPP holds 68 while the CNPR holds 55 seats.-VNA