Saturday, January 1, 2011

Analysts See Room for Corruption Law in Elections

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Thursday, 30 December 2010

"Voters should be allowed to see where election money, gifts and other largesse come from and to learn how much each party is spending on the election."
Election analysts say Cambodia's new anti-corruption law should be incorporated into the polls, to prevent political parties or campaigners from buying votes or swaying the electorate with gifts.

Currently, there is not a clear policy, so some officials used “extravagant funds” during campaigns, said Hang Puthea, executive director of the Neutral Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections, a monitoring group.

The anti-corruption law, passed earlier this year, could be effective in curbing this and for showing where funds come from, he said.

Koul Panha, head of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, agreed. Voters should be allowed to see where election money, gifts and other largesse come from and to learn how much each party is spending on the election.

“We can learn how money is having an influence in the electoral process and can see the magnitude of expenses in the electoral process,” he said.
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