Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from the Khmer Youth part 64
This part (64), Mr. Sophan Seng analysed overseas absentee voting by comparing between Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
According to IDEA, an organization focusing on Diaspora worldwide, there are more than 300 countries have included their overseas citizens to vote their home-country elections. In the ASEAN region, the record illustrated Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Lao, have included their overseas citizens. Malaysia is believed to include overseas citizens to vote in the next election.
Country
Qualification of Overseas Voters
Who/what may be voted
Voting Method
Voting Period
Deadline for Receipt of Ballots
Voting Statistics
Indonesia (1.36 m est. Overseas population)
A citizen, age 17th, and a registered voter
President, Vice President, Members of Parliament for electoral district of Jakarta
Voting in PersonPostal Voting
Election day
Election day
N.A. Except for The Netherlands where turn-out was 77%
Pillippines (7.76 m estimate overseas population)
A citizen, age 18 and a registered voter
President, Vice President, Senators and Party-List Representatives to Congress
Voting in PersonPostal Voting
30 days for land-based voters; 60 days for seamen
Election
65.00%
Thailand
A citizen, age 18 on January 1 in year of election, and a registered voter
Members of Parliament
Voting in PersonPostal
Variable subject to discretion of embassy or consulate
Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from the Khmer Youth part 63
This part (63) aired by CMN on May 01-02, 2016, Mr. Sophan Seng described on the arrest of Ny Chakria, deputy of NEC’s secretary and other 4 Adhoc’s stuffs, and the intervention of ACU on such issues.
Beside of skeptic in abusing of power and out-of-mandate activity of ACU, the detaining, arresting and jailing of Ny Chakria is another step to intimidate NEC from working independently, fearlessly and successfully.
Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from the Khmer Youth part 62
This part (62) broadcasted in April 24-25, 2016, Mr. Sophan Seng continued to articulate on the statement of HE Sik Bun Hok, president of the National Election Committee (NEC), to include migrant workers to register to vote and to vote per se in Cambodia upcoming election ie. commune election 2017 and national election 2018.
According to this announcement, it is a good news for migrant workers working domestically and internationally. Mr. President must state it clear that migrant workers in Thailand, South Korea, and many other places outside Cambodia could register and vote in their sites without interrupting to travel back to Cambodia to register as well as to vote.
Mr. Sophan Seng is appealing the President of NEC and NEC’s members to seriously articulate and implement the inclusive voters registration and to undertake the voting boots at their nearest places while working overseas. Further more, Mr. Sophan solemnly requested NEC to undertake Cambodians overseas absentee voting so that all those Cambodians overseas can actively participate in building the future of Cambodia.
Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from the Khmer Youth 59
This part (59), Mr. Sophan Seng analysed on the recent public statement and press conference by Comfrel or The committee for free and fair elections in Cambodia. According to the press conference, Mr. Michael who is one of the advisory board members stressed that the ongoing practices of authoritarian countries which have used election as a pretext to renew their power, and Mr. Pannha who is director placed doubts on state’s inference with current national election committee (NEC).
Mr. Sophan highly agreed with Michael that through academic researches and real world politiks, many authoritarian countries are conducting elections to legitimize their power. Often, those countries including Cambodia under PM Hun Sen leadership, they have always attempted to threat and intimidate the voters through using public speech on both explicit and implicit threatening. More than that, they have always used judiciary system to favor their political agenda.
For what Mr. Pannha said, Mr. Sophan observed that NEC that was created by 4 members from each political parties are not in equilibrium of power because 4 members from government-led party CPP could enjoy the free ride of both conducting daily business without intimidation and fear of political reprisal at all. For 4 members from opposition party, CNRP, they are mindful in all movements and they are easily been feared, distracted, and faced political reprisal in all time. The bad working environment for 4 members from opposition party is also significantly caused by the ongoing biased court of Cambodia.
At the end, the lacking of political will of Hun Sen leadership to include Cambodians overseas to vote, is another attempt showing that election is just a mean for his long term grip in power in Cambodia.
Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from the Khmer Youth part 58
This part (58), Mr. Sophan Seng analysed on the recent outcome publicly announced by Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) supportive to all Cambodians overseas in participating with politics and social development of Cambodia.
The statement didn’t explicitly concluded Cambodians overseas the full rights to vote within all Cambodia elections, but the intent to advocate for full participation from all Cambodians overseas is amicable and admirable.
Furthering to his appreciation of the statement, Mr. Sophan urged CNRP’s 55 members of parliament to write proposal to the assembly to amend law or adjust election chapter to state clearly that Cambodians overseas can exercise full rights to vote in Cambodia elections.
He also directed the issue to Prime Minister Hun Sen to initiate this plan at the earliest during his mandate so that he could be remembered in a long term for his leadership in developing democracy in Cambodia.
This part (55), Mr. Sophan Seng articulated on the CEROC or Committee for Election Rights of Overseas Cambodians on recent news of Prime Minister Hun Sen and H.E. Sam Rainsy regarding Cambodians overseas absentee voting.
PM Hun Sen used the excuse of not allowing Cambodians overseas to vote in Cambodia elections because of election system in Cambodia is proportional representation which is different from USA, and he continued to comment on different time such daytime in Cambodia is nighttime in America. With this matter, Mr. Sophan described that it is just a small piece of technical issues that they are not complicate to resolve. Thailand has operated proportional representation, and their overseas voters casted ballots to vote with no problem at all. Thailand has no problem of allocating them, or jurisdiction, or residency at all when overseas citizens registered to vote. To avoid conflicting time of night and day, and especially to avoid pressure on voter, they have arranged “advance vote” by giving more time to both domestic voters and overseas absentee voters to caste their ballots.
Regarding letter to the Phnom Penh Post by H.E. Sam Rainsy, Mr. Sophan described that it depends on how the election committee agrees to solve such technical issue. It is not beyond the ability and capacity to solve the issues whenever Cambodian overseas absentee ballots and voting are counted and facilitated.
