OPINION

Japan goes shy on Khmer poll flaws

News, Sek Sophal, Published on 13/08/2018

» Cambodia's general election on July 29 concluded with a sharp controversy. Skeptical voter turnout, a number of spoilt ballots, election boycotts and a sweeping victory by the ruling Cambodian People Party (CPP) appeared in international media headlines. Shortly after the National Election Committee (NEC) announced the preliminary result, the US, the European Union, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Germany expressed concern that the election was neither free nor fair and failed to justify the spirit of democracy in the absence of the banned opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP).