Hun Sen Appeals to Nation to Vote
In his last speech ahead of an election campaign period that begins Thursday, Prime Minister Hun Sen urged the public to vote, no matte
In his last speech ahead of an election campaign period thatbegins Thursday, Prime Minister Hun Sen urged Cambodians to vote, no mattertheir party preference. Speaking at the opening of a development center in Pursatprovince, Hun Sen told voters a high rate of participation was good fordemocracy. "Please go to vote all together, to express youropinion," Hun Sen said. "This is our right of expression. We must showour participation in the decision of choosing parties and leaders." Hun Sen has said he will remain silent during the one-month campaignperiod, a traditional time of mass rallies and public marches by competingpolitical parties. There are 11 parties slated to compete for parliamentaryseats in this election. More than 8.1 million Cambodians are registered to vote inthe July 27 election, but the 2007 commune elections saw the lowestparticipation rate ever, less than 70 percent. The first national electionsfollowing the Paris Peace Accords, in 1993, saw a turnout greater than 90percent. "If the rate of participation is low, that meansdemocracy is down, because people do not care about voting to choose a goodleader," said Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho."That's why they encourage people to go vote as much as possible."