Political parties hail PM’s move to issue ID cards to Cambodians abroad


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

Several political parties have hailed Prime Minister Hun Sen’s initiative to issue identity cards to all Cambodians residing overseas so that they can vote or conduct business in Cambodia.

Nhoeun Raden, spokesman for royalist Funcinpec party, said yesterday that it is very important that Cambodians overseas are eligible to vote.

“This is very important because Cambodians living abroad can take part in the elections. We support the issuance of IDs for them,” he said.

Ou Chanrath, vice president of Cambodia Reform Party, said that many Cambodians living overseas want to obtain ID cards.

Yang Saing Koma, founder of the Grassroots Democratic Party (GDP), said that Cambodians working and living overseas should be eligible to vote.

Saing Koma said that more than one million Cambodians, including migrant workers and labourers, are working and living in Asia.

He said that they are the human resources that partake in developing the country.

“I agree with Prime Minister Hun Sen’s policy in issuing Cambodian ID cards for Cambodians living abroad to vote and to participate in politics. It is a good idea,” Saing Koma said.

“But they should be able to vote in the county where they live, and they should not have to return to vote in Cambodia because it costs them a lot of money. It is time consuming for them to travel from abroad to vote in Cambodia,” he said.

Speaking to about 2,500 Cambodians in Zurich, Switzerland, on Saturday, Mr Hun Sen said the Ministry of Interior will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue Khmer Identity Cards to all Cambodians living in European countries.

He added that the government will issue Cambodian ID cards for those who live abroad so that they can cast ballots, engage in politics and conduct business in Cambodia.

Mr Hun Sen said they can purchase property such as a house or conduct business.

He also turned down a suggestion by opposition groups that Cambodians living abroad can vote from overseas.

“Allowing Cambodians living abroad to vote in the county where they live is impossible because of the differences in time and the difficulty in delivering ballots,” Mr Hun Sen said.

“Our Cambodians living abroad have the right to get a Cambodian identity card, register to vote, and vote in Cambodia in accordance with local arrangements,” he said.

Cambodia is holding the Commune Election on June 5 and the National Election next year.

 



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