PHNOM PENH (FN), August 10 – The opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party has formed a watchdog mechanism in line with the ten National Assembly commissions with the view to monitoring the government performance. Party whip, Son Chhay, said the commissions are to play the role a shadow government and to prepare real actions to be taken when the party wins the forthcoming elections.

However, spokesperson of the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan said the act by the CNRP was just a dream and it goes against the internal regulations of the National Assembly.

“It was simply a propaganda designed to get the attention of the media and the public and it is nothing interesting,” Phay Siphan told Fresh News today, August. “It is actually in contrast with the internal regulations of the National Assembly,” he added.

The opposition party has for dozens of years claimed election victory but they have never been able to prove it. He also warned that the opposition party should be working in the National Assembly and not to spend the NA’s funds for the party.
In a press conference yesterday, August 9, at the party’s headquarters, after the election of leaders of the newly-formed commissions, Son Chhay said the party wanted the commissions to become a shadow structure of government when the CNRP wins the forthcoming elections.

“We would like to form a shadow government. The idea of forming a shadow government has been wrongly opposed to for sometimes. Actually, it is normal in parliamentary democracy like Cambodia that such a shadow government is formed. If the party fails to win the elections, the shadow government can just go on, and when the party wins, those people can proceed taking the portfolios accordingly,” Son Chhay said.
= FRESH NEWS