Authorities urged to ensure violence-free elections

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has called on authorities at all levels and the armed forces to ensure order and security for the upcoming elections.

The appeal came just three days before political parties kick off their one-month campaign to shore up support from voters.

The premier said he wanted to see the upcoming elections take place without any violence.

“Local authorities at all levels and the armed forces must do their best to ensure security and order for the election so that it is free from violence,” the premier said today from Kampong Cham province where he presided over an inauguration ceremony.

The prime minister, meanwhile, thanked people as well as political parties for their patience and preventing violence during the elections.

The premier said during the previous elections, some cases of violence did occur, but so far for this year’s elections, there had not been any violence.

Cambodia will conduct its fifth legislative general election on July 28, costing around 20 million dollars. And the election campaign will kick off on June 27^th and last for a month.

9.6m eligible voters are expected to turn out to cast their ballots.

In the general elections in 2008, Cambodia’s ruling party the Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory, and held up to 90 out of 123 seats in the parliament.

And this year, the ruling party is expected to continue its winning streak in the elections.