Thirty-four opposition lawmakers yesterday returned to the National Assembly in silence, after a two-month boycott, neither criticizing or voicing support for the three draft laws that passed in the morning session with 100 of 102 votes in favor.
Vice president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Kem Sokha sat as an ordinary member of the National Assembly, after being stripped of his position as its first vice president at the end of October – a move that sparked the CNRP boycott.
The seat for the assembly’s first vice president remained empty yesterday.
Neither the ruling Cambodian People’s Party nor the CNRP held a press conference after yesterday’s session. Speaking by telephone, CNRP spokesman Yem Ponhearith described the session as fruitful, saying comprehensive discussions had occurred.
The reason the CNRP lawmakers “made no comment in the session was because we believe these are important laws and the contents of the draft laws are acceptable,” he said. “The silence did not mean we opposed [the laws]. We were in the assembly to continue our work and observe the [CPP],” Mr. Ponhearith added.
He also confirmed that both parties were still in the process of setting up a joint commission to review and comment on the draft law on trade unions as well as a working group to examine how to improve the cultural of dialogue. The latter refers to the more civil discussions the leaders of both parties had pledged themselves to, following an agreement last year ended the yearlong boycott of the assembly by the opposition over the disputed 2013 elections.
The assembly approved all three draft laws on the agenda. These were new protocols for amending World Trade Organization agreements, an agreement to set up a center for biological diversity in ASEAN and a draft law on animal health and livestock-raising.
Although CPP lawmakers expressed their opinions on the draft laws there were no comments from opposition lawmakers.
Regarding the agreement to set up a center for biological diversity in ASEAN, Minister of Environment Say Sam Al said he believed the agreement would promote awareness and protection of biodiversity with cooperation from ASEAN’s other nine countries.
“Eight ASEAN countries have ratified the agreement, except Cambodia and Indonesia,” Mr. Sam Al said. His ministry has set up a working committee to examine how to participate in the biodiversity center and it is looking into the possibility that Cambodia will pay $50,000 to help set it up, he said.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ouk Rabun said that the draft law on animal health and livestock-raising would promote livestock-raising, ensure its supply locally and for export, and help Cambodia integrate into ASEAN as the law would put standards in place that are aligned with ASEAN’s other members.
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday used his Facebook page to welcome CNRP lawmakers back to the National Assembly. “This clearly demonstrates the democratic process in Cambodia [is working],” he wrote. “Ruling and opposition lawmakers worked together and adopted three important draft laws for the interest of the country,” he explained.
From Khmer Times
