Row over Cambodia poll results heats up

Kem Sokha, vice president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), gestures during a news conference at the CNRP headquarter in Phnom Penh August 12, 2013. Cambodia's main opposition party on Monday rejected official results showing the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen won last month's election, and called on the international community not to recognize the result. [Photo/Agencies]

CNRP's President Sam Rainsy on Sunday renewed the threat to call mass protests against the results if a committee still could not be established.

"I will return to Cambodia very soon. We will hold massive demonstrations to demand for the change of the current leaders if a joint poll probe technical group is still controversial and cannot find justice for the people," he wrote on his Facebook page from Massachusetts, the United States, where he was attending his daughter's wedding.  

Sam Rainsy left the country for the U.S. on Tuesday last week and is expected to return this week.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng said last Friday that soldiers and armored vehicles had been deployed on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, in order to ensure security and stability after Sam Rainsy had repeatedly called for mass demonstrations against the results.

"We have no intention to threaten people, but the government has a duty to protect security and peace. If it is a peaceful protest, I ensure that there will really be no any problem happens, " he told reporters.

"In case that a protest has led to violence, destruction to national security, and damage to public or private properties, the protest leaders and offenders must take full responsibilities in front of the law for consequences arising from the protest," he said.

Kem Sokha called on the government to stop further troop and armored vehicle deployments, saying it was an intimidation to the people.

The complete poll results will be released between August 16 and September 8, according to the NEC.

The constitution stated that a new parliament would be established no later than 60 days after the election.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on August 2 that the new parliament and government would be established as schedule even though the opposition boycotted the first parliamentary session.

"According to the constitution, a new government will be formed by a 50 percent plus one majority, or 63 lawmakers, in the new National Assembly," he said, adding that he would be the prime minister for the new five-year mandate government.