Phnom Penh (FN), Oct 16 - Deputy Prime Minister, Samdech Sar Kheng, stated earlier today after the plenary session of the National Assembly that the new amendments on Law on Political Parties including the dissolution of political parties were enacted to maintain peace in Cambodia.

The amendments also received many concerns on democracy from international communities.

Samdech Sar Kheng said that these new laws are intended to protect Cambodia from civil wars, which occurred in the past.

The four proposed amendments include: Amendments to the Law on the Election of the Members of Parliament; Amendments to the Law on the Election of the Senate; Amendments to the Law on the Election of Commune Councils; Amendments to the Law on the Election of the Capital, Provincial, Municipal, District, and Khan Councils.

Regarding the Amendments to the Law on the Election of the Members of Parliament, Article 138 clearly stipulates that: "In the mandate of the National Assembly, if any political party declares seat renunciation or elimination from the list of political parties or dissolved in accordance with the law on political parties, the list of candidates and all parliamentarians of that political party is no longer valid and no longer has merits.

In the above case, the National Election Committee shall allocate those available seats within a maximum of 7 days to the parties who participated in the capital-provincial election, except to political parties that give up seats or be removed from the list of political parties or be dissolved in accordance with the law on political parties....”
=FRESH NEWS