The alliance hopes to be a force in the 2022 commune elections and the 2023 national election. Photo supplied
The Beehive Social Democratic Party (BSDP), the Khmer National United Party (KNUP) and the Khmer United Party (KUP) have decided to form an alliance named The Alliance of Khmer Democrats.
Mam Sonando of BSDP will be the group’s president, while Nhek Bun Chhay of KNUP will serve as deputy president and Kuch Ly of KUP as secretary-general.
Ly told The Post on November 16 that the group initially planned to form an alliance with all 15 parties from the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendation. The plan failed, leading the three parties to form this alliance as a start, he said.
“We are supposed to have a press conference about the establishment of The Alliance of Khmer Democrats on November 16, but the Ministry of Interior disapproved of the gatherings due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So we postponed the conference to a later date in the future,” he said.
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Ly said this new alliance is made up of politicians with similar visions and shared goals. It will add as many members as possible, he said.
He said the plan is for the alliance to be a force in the commune elections of 2022 and the 2023 national election.
He said however that the alliance does not aim to establish a new political party, but wants to allocate areas for each political party.
As an example, Ly said if the KUP stands for election in Kandal province, the parties in the alliance do not have the right to stand in this province and all activists have to vote for the KUP.
Democratic Institute president Pa Chanroeun praised the establishment of the alliance. He said this is a way of doing politics in a democratic political system.
In the previous election, the three parties did not receive enough votes to gain seats. The results of this alliance depend on their abilities to be real democratic politicians and propose policies that help gain the trust of the people.
“To declare one as a democratic person is not enough, but politicians have to show it through political policies and actual activities,” he said.
Sonando said on November 16 that although the leadership of the current government is peaceful, this alliance is established because there are many problems in society, especially corruption.
“Prime Minister Hun Sen cares of the country and stops war and establishes peace. But he has still not accomplished tackling corruption issues. I don’t have the plan to establish this alliance to lead the country smartly, but we can think of social issues in reforming society from our capacity and demolish corruption,” he said.
