Cambodia’s leader Hun Sen Wednesday stressed that an upcoming Cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with infighting among the leaders of his ruling Cambodian People’s Party, or CPP.
Hun Sen, who has led the country since 1985, is preparing to step down from his role as prime minister, passing the baton of leadership to his son, Hun Manet, who will assume the position later this month.
A call-in show produced by RFA’s Khmer Service this week discussed potential power struggles between Hun Sen’s family and other party leaders, including Minister of Interior Sar Kheng. Two guests speakers on the show pointed out that several high ranking CPP members have yet to declare support for Hun Manet.
Hun Sen said in a voice message posted on Telegram that it wasn't necessary to respond to the comments about the lack of announced support from Minister of Defense Tea Banh and CPP vice president Men Sam An. He implied that the transfer of power to the new government later this month would be smooth.
“RFA should not be too stupid, too timid and too provocative,” said Hun Sen.
Regarding the appointment of Khuon Sodary as president of the National Assembly, he said that it had been planned in late 2021 as part of the CPP’s strategy to promote women into prominent positions. Khuon Sodary is currently the Assembly's second vice president.
“If you are so stupid, you should seek clarity rather than concluding that everything is an internal dispute of the CPP,” Hun Sen said, addressing Radio Free Asia.
“I request RFA as well as other foreign [media outlets] broadcasting in Khmer to always remember that the CPP has no habit of fighting one another for a power grab in the same [way] that you have, and that will lead to [your] eventual collapse due to your own internal disputes.”
Finland-based political commentator Kim Sok, who left Cambodia after he was imprisoned for his criticism of Hun Sen’s government, told RFA on Wednesday that Hun Sen chose Khuon Sodary over Sar Kheng because he wields a greater amount of power within the CPP, while she does not and is therefore less of a political threat.
“By choosing Ms. Khuon Sodary, it also does not mean that he really wants her for this post. He wants to choose only the people who are closest with him,” Kim Sok said. “[She] does not have enough power to be an obstacle to him [and she] is like the right hand woman to Hun Sen’s wife.”
Sam Rainsy, the self-exiled president of the dissolved former main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, said that Hun Sen does not trust Sar Kheng and considers him a threat.
“The position of National Assembly president is so sensitive,” said Sam Rainsy. “If [Hun Sen] were to give the post of National Assembly president to Sar Kheng, [Sar Kheng] would have the ability to allow a vote to dissolve the newly elected government and to remove Hun Manet from power.”
Um Sam An, former CNRP lawmaker, told RFA that Hun Sen is trying to essentially neuter the power of both Sar Kheng and Tea Banh by appointing them to be supreme advisers to Cambodia’s king.
“[Hun Sen] meanwhile, will consolidate more power for Hun Manet,” he said. “The father will be the head of the senate, holding the legislative branch in check, while the son, as prime minister, will hold the executive branch.
He called the arrangement an obvious violation of the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances, as stated in Cambodia’s constitution.
“There is no country in the world that would uphold a system of having a son as the prime minister and the father as the head of state,” said Um Sam An. “Not even in any of the communist countries or in North Korea.”
Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Edited by Eugene Whong.