New Government Prepares To Swear In
The National Assembly secretariat began preparations for a swearing-in ceremony to be held later this month, following the official ann
The National Assembly secretariat began preparations for aswearing-in ceremony to be held later this month for incoming parliamentarians, following the officialannouncement of election results Tuesday. The National Assembly meeting, slated for Sept. 24, willpave the way for the selection of the National Assembly president and the primeminister, as well as the chairmen of nine commissions of the Assembly and thepassage of the internal rules. "We are being very careful about the security system,especially limiting the passage for National Assembly staff, parliamentariansand for the leadership and the king," Leng Penglong, secretary-general ofthe National Assembly, told VOA Khmer. King Norodom Sihamoni will preside over the ceremony. National Assembly security will guard within the grounds ofthe building, while the Ministry of Interior will be tasked with securing thearea outside the compound, Leng Penglong said. The ceremony will also include invitations to distinguishedguests, including embassy representatives and international agencies, he said. The National Election Committee announced official electionresults Tuesday, giving 90 of 123 National Assembly seats to the rulingCambodian People's Party, 26 to the Sam Rainsy Party, three to the Human RightsParty, and two each to Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party. Opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha said members oftheir parties will boycott the swearing-in ceremony, in an attempt to continuetheir complaints of voter fraud to the international community. Sam Rainsy plans to leave for Parison Wednesday, followed by Kem Sokha, who will leave for France onThursday. The two will travel together to Brussels,New York and Washington DC,carrying claims that July's national election was not free and fair.