DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodia's 2 major oppositions submit application to form a new party” plus 2 more

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sam Rainsy Party, which is the country's main opposition party, and the Human Rights Party on Monday submitted an application to the Ministry of Interior to form a new party called "Cambodia National Rescue Party" in order to compete in the general election in July next year.

"We had submitted documents to the Ministry of Interior this morning to establish a new party party," Pol Horm, spokesman for the Human Rights Party and vice-president of the yet-to-form party, told reporters in a press briefing.

According to Pol Horm, the proposed party will be led by self- exiled Sam Rainsy, president of the Sam Rainsy Party.

"Under to the law on political parties, the Ministry of Interior has 15 days to examine and decide if the proposed party is qualified enough for registration," he said.

The two opposition parties announced to form the new party on July 17 in order to gain stronger support from voters in the general election next year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Aug. 1 that his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has "no fear or concern" over the merger plan of the two opposition parties, adding that the move has no even slight impact on the CPP.

Cambodia sets to hold the general election in July 2013.

The last election was held in July 2008. As a result, the Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen won 90 seats out of the 123 seats in the National Assembly, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party with 26 seats, the Human Rights Party 3 seats, the Norodom Ranariddh Party 2 seats and the Funcinpec Party 2 seats.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under- Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) , will make her first official visit to Cambodia from Aug. 21-24 to further enhance ties between the UN and Cambodia.

The visit is aimed at discussing topics and issues regarding to sustainable development, regional integration, and Cambodia's achievements and challenges towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, according to a press release from the National Committee for the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (NC-ESCAP) on Monday.

During the visit, Dr. Heyzer will hold meetings with other key senior government officials and will also pay a courtesy call on Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, said the press release.

Heyzer is the ninth Executive Secretary of the UN-ESCAP, she was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to the position in August 2007.

Her visit to Cambodia is made at the invitation of Cambodia's senior minister Ly Thuch, the NC-ESCAP's Chairman.

ILOILO City, Philippines, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Health (DoH) in Central Philippines has discovered mass incidence of enterovirus as well as foot and mouth diseases (FMD) cases to humans in the country's central part -- Western Visayas region.

Dr. Glen Alonsabe, chief epidemiologist of the DoH Western Visayas said Monday that his office had administered 49 cases of enterovirus and 69 victims of FMD.

"This is not alarming since we are treating these cases very well. I just hope that the parents especially in communities should exercise proper hygiene so that they would not absorb the virus," Alonsabe said.

He reminded local residents that enterovirus had killed at least 50 children in Cambodia.

Alonsabe clarified that the Enterovirus that hit children in Central Philippines were mild compared to the virus that were recorded in Cambodia. The names of the Enterovirus were deemed confidential.

For the 69 FMD cases, 39 were registered coming from nearby Capiz province, 12 from Iloilo City, seven from Iloilo province, five in Antique province among others.