Analysts have questioned whether the “The Cambodia Democracy Act of 2019” bill would be passed by the US Senate and finally signed off by the president after its approval by the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, on Monday.

Introduced by Republican Representative for Florida Ted Yoho, the bill aims to block the US assets of "each senior official of the government, military or security forces of Cambodia who has directly and substantially undermined democracy in Cambodia".

It also plans visa sanctions restricting the entry of those targeted into the country.

Bradley J Murg, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Asian Studies at Seattle Pacific University, questioned whether the bill would be able to reach the US president.

“I think the bigger question is will it actually pass? Recall that similar legislation was passed in the House and then died in the Senate a while back,” he said via email on Wednesday.

Sok Touch, the president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said he did not expect the bill to be passed easily. He said the move would come in the run-up to presidential elections.

“I think with the election getting closer, US politicians will be campaigning for support. I don’t believe it will be eventually adopted. Even [President Trump's] wall with Mexico could not be built after failing to get Senate approval,” he said.