Cambodian government ministers lose parliamentary seats
Updated
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that lawmakers of the ruling Cambodian People's Party who hold both government posts and seats in the National Assembly must now resign their parliamentary seats to concentrate on their ministerial responsiblities.
Speaker : Licadho President, Dr Kek Galabru
- Listen:
- Windows Media
GALABRU : If we look at the Constitution it says three powers are separate. The Executive branch separate from the Legislative and if one member of parliament joins the government and stays as a member of parliament, so the two power are not separate, that is one point, the second point, the role of the member of parliament, the representative also very important to check the activity of the government, its a check and balance. So a member of the National Assembly and at same time Minister, who check who? So we can not have the check and balance, so I think this is very good from the ruling party, to take this action.
WERDEN: And what's prompted this decision?
GALABRU: I think the civil society and donor, and also Opposition, all of us talking about that because last term, before this election, last term some member of the government are still member of the National Assembly, so we found it was a conflict of interest and its against the Constitution and there was not much check and balance. so the civil society, the donor also were in favour of this separation of power.
WERDEN: Are you talking about Ministers holding a portfolio?
GALABRU: Ministers, the State Secretaries, the under-Secretaries we talk about yes yes, until now the member of the parliament when they are elected and they join the Government and work as the Minister, they continue to keep their seat in the National Assembly, so we found that very disturbing for our democracy, because we need the members of the National Assembly to follow the activity of the Government, to check and ask the Government to clarfiy some problems, etc, etc, so if they're in the Government and the National Assembly, who will check who?
