The Phnom Penh Post - ENGLISH: “Opposition rejects election result” plus 9 more

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party has rejected the government's announcement yesterday of a 68-55 election victory for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, citing mass irregularities.

In a press conference this morning at its office in Meanchey district, CNRP president Sam Rainsy gave the government, with the help of international community, until August 31 to resolve "widespread irregularities".

"The CNRP does not recognise the result announced by the ruling CPP or the very similar NEC results. The information the CNRP has received so far is not acceptable," he said.

"Fifteen per cent of voters — about 1.2 to 1.3 million — were unable to vote because of list irregularities. There were also about 1 million ghost names on the voter list and about 200,000 duplicate names."
All matters must be resolved in order to respect "the will" of the people, he added.

"That's why we require the technical working group comprising the CNRP, the CPP, the UN, the NEC, local and international NGOs to investigate and make a report about these irregularities. This must happen no later than August 31."

He told the Post afterwards that many of the "main provinces" were still in dispute.

"Those where manipulation could easily be done," he said. "But even in Phnom Penh, many had their names deleted. You don't have to go very far."

Rainsy also told the Post that he rejected suggestions that the CNRP had declared victory last evening in a statement that was later retracted.

"No, we didn't — we have never declared victory," he said .

"Every hour until now, we have received new information. So we have to take into account this new information in order to address our position."

Joining a growing number of airlines connecting to Angkor Wat's gateway, Dragonair will fly between Hong Kong and Siem Reap in October.

The Hong Kong-based subsidiary of Cathay Pacific said in a statement last week that it will start the seasonal service on October 29 and fly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Almost 3.6 million tourists visited Cambodia last year, a 24.4 per cent hike from 2011. Of the total arrivals, 28.1 per cent touched down first in Siem Reap International Airport.

Some 8,200 Hong Kong tourists visited last year, a 57.3 per cent increase when compared with 2011.

Ho Vandy, co-chair of the government-private sector working group on tourism, said the route means tourists from Mainland China can use Hong Kong as a hub.

Thai AirAsia is poised to offer daily Siem Reap-Bangkok flights in October. The following month, Air China is expected to launch the first nonstop flights from Beijing to Siem Reap.

During the campaigning for yesterday's election, much attention was given to the anti-Vietnamese rhetoric of opposition leader Sam Rainsy and his deputy Kem Sokha.

They both spewed equally shocking racist sentiments, using the expletive term "yuon" to refer to Vietnamese people and even alleging that the Tuol Sleng torture centre never existed but was invented by Vietnam.

Presumably, then, the conviction of Duch, the centre's commander, and the cases now being investigated by the United Nations tribunal, are all without foundation.

Really, it defies comprehension.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has many faults, from blatant nepotism to media coercion to crudely threatening that if he lost civil war would result.

But he has not descended to spouting the kind of racist bile that issued from Rainsy and his team and which seems to be a key part of their party's ideology.

Yes, the opposition has been treated unfairly, but that is hardly unusual in this region.

Compared to how authoritarian governments in Malaysia and Singapore dealt with oppositionists over the past half-century, Phnom Penh's attitude looks rather tolerant.

Why then did Rainsy play the anti-Vietnamese card so flagrantly?

Well, any bash-the-foreigners line is always popular among ordinary folks, especially those swayed by a xenophobic vernacular press.

But that does not excuse Rainsy putting himself in the same league as Enoch Powell, Orval Faubus and Myanmar's anti-Muslim cleric Wirathu.

Nor is it acceptable, after repeatedly using the vulgar "yuon" term, to say that while it may not be politically correct, it is not insulting.

One might well claim other non-PC terms like nigger, yid, chink and nip are also not hurtful or derogatory.

No, it is despicable nonsense, and worse, it is even more dangerous than the civil war nonsense spouted by the PM last month.

For remember, it is not long since the Thai Embassy here was destroyed and lives threatened after equally idiotic remarks by a Thai actress.

Rainsy's rhetoric could lead to similar violence and even lynchings, and possibly result in the Cambodian Embassy in Hanoi being sacked.

But please don't misunderstand, it does not mean that the Vietnamese should be let off the hook. Their condescension toward Cambodians, who are often viewed as rather backward wretches, is also contemptible.

Perhaps the best that can be said is that it does not compare to the intense animosity the Vietnamese feel towards China, which, like the sentiment Rainsy voiced, is based on repeated invasions and occupations.

The last one occurred when Beijing sought to punish Vietnam for invading Cambodia and deposing the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge regime.

Vietnam's action might have been excused as a rare occasion when two wrongs do make a right – if only most of its 150,000 troops had not stayed on and occupied Cambodia for the next 10 years.

China's "punishment" – its invasion and occupation of Vietnam's northern provinces in February 1979 – was one of the most ham-handed and bloodiest conflicts this region has ever seen.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties, including civilians, and photographs of the devastation are shocking.

One needs to work hard to find them, however, because both Beijing and Hanoi rigorously suppress all public records of this bloodbath.

On Martyrs' Day in Vietnam, the victories over France and the United States are glorified, but the recent war with China is unmentioned. It has been air-brushed out of existence on both sides of the border.

As the Beijing scholar Yan Lianke noted: "Not a word is written here about how many Chinese or Vietnamese died in the pointless war with Vietnam in the late 1970s."

But it has been extensively described elsewhere, especially in Nayan Chanda's brilliant book Brother Enemy: The War after the War, which both Rainsy and Kem Sokha ought to re-read.

If, after doing so, they continue making stupidly irrational and wholly bigoted statements, then they deserve to be sent to re-education camps, preferably in Ratanakkiri, not the 8th arrondissement of Paris.

Phnom Penh Crown Academy bowed out of the 2013 Frenz-FAM U15 ASEAN Champions Trophy on Saturday with a close 2-1 defeat to neighbouring rivals Vietnam PVF Academy.

The result meant the Cambodians were unable to lift off the foot of the Group A table, ending their campaign without a win and just two draws from 10 fixtures.

Yeu Muslim had given Crown hope at Olympic Stadium on Saturday with a sumptuous lob after 16 minutes. The visitors stood firm to equalise just before the hour mark through Ho Minh Di and went on to grab a winner on 68 minutes via a Nguyen Vu Tin strike.

"It was good to be one goal up but we played a little too defensively," said Crown head coach Sam Schweingruber, who was covering for Academy coach Bouy Dary off sick.

"It's a product of us playing all these games against strong opposition and trying to limit the damage. I liked that we were well disciplined and more switched on than in recent games."

PVF face Frenz Malaysia A is the last remaining Group A match, with a win guaranteeing the Vietnamese top spot. A loss, however, would see the Malaysians beat their opponents to the crucial second place, which yields entry to the semi-finals.

Frenz Indonesia have already secured their berth in the knockout stage as winners of Group B, with Frenz Malaysia B odds-on to join them.

The overall champions collect $50,000, with the runners-up pocketing $25,000. The two-leg semi-finals will be contested on August 3 and 17, and the two-leg final is slated for August 24 and September 1.

A selection of Crown boys will join other teenage stars to make up the national squad bound for the 2013 AFF U16 Youth Championships, which kicks off in Naypyidaw on August 20.

Cambodia meet Australia in their first Group A encounter on the opening day and will also encounter Brunei, Vietnam and hosts Myanmar.

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines make up Group B of the ninth edition of the annual tournament. All games are playing at Zabuthiri Stadium with the grand final set for September 2.

"Looking ahead to the AFF [championships], we've got to work very hard over the next three weeks before we go to Myanmar," said Schweingruber, who will lead the team.

"Our dream is to qualify out of the group of five countries. Getting positive results will obviously not be easy.

"But as a team we have shown that over 90 minutes we can play disciplined football. Vietnam will play a similar style to what we saw today and it looks to me that we have a chance against Brunei, Vietnam and Myanmar.

"If Australia bring their strongest team, we will find ourselves up against world-class opposition," the coach added.

Cambodia prevailed, but only just, at Bayon TV's 'Khmer Fighter' event at Beeline Arena on Friday.

Four international bouts were reduced to three when Brazilian Pachero failed to show, resulting in a reshuffle of the match-ups.

In the opening fight, Ung Vireak struck one for the host nation as he hammered the leg of French opponent Sebatioe Billro with kicks to force him to retire in the fourth round.

Em Vutha then put Cambodia 2-0 up with a second round TKO of Italian Simone. However, Raphael Boch of France managed to salvage a consolatory win for the away side by knocking out Vong Noy in the second round.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Angkor Amateur Open takes place at the Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap.

Featuring a total of 96 golfers from 14 different countries, this weekend's competition will be fierce, not least because all four previous winners will be taking part with the hope of reclaiming the title.

Australian Scott Hend, renowned as the longest hitter on the Asian Tour and winner of the Chiang Mai Golf Classic in March, is this year's guest professional player and will offer a golf clinic to all participants.

After a practice round this Friday, the 2013 Open will be decided over 36 holes played on Saturday and Sunday, with the player shooting the lowest gross score crowned as champion.

Players will compete in one of three divisions based on their handicap and will have the chance to collect a winner's or runners-up net prize in each class.

According to organisers, this year's competition has attracted 21 local and international sponsors and is considered one of the biggest events on the Cambodian golfing calendar.

On the tournament's increasing success and repute, Angkor Golf Resort director of golf David Baron said: "We are delighted with the response this year and are looking forward to an excellent weekend to be enjoyed by all.

"The event has gone from strength each year and I feel that the players really enjoy taking part in the event, which combines well-organised, competitive golf in a sociable, fun environment."

With yesterday's national general election fever sweeping the country, the ongoing Cambodian Basketball League inevitably had to take a week's break. The next set of matches will be played on Saturday.

The Post Buffaloes broke their three-match duck last weekend with a thrilling one-point win over CCPL Heat and that encounter was indeed the talk of the town, so to speak.

Interestingly, the rankings released after Game Week 7 show there is no team among the 12 in the field without a win.

There are three unbeaten teams at the top of the perch – Alaxan FR Patriots, IRB The Lord and Extra Joss Warriors – all three with four wins apiece, but the Patriots have been very impressive with their scoring progression.

The progress of these pace setters will be the focus of attention in the next couple of weeks and match-ups among them is bound to generate a lot of excitement.

It takes a few more weeks for teams other than the top three to get a clearer picture of the path to the eight-team play-offs, especially for those who are right now on the wrong side of the cut-off.

The all-Chinese Galaxy are down at the bottom and Ganzberg, surprisingly, are also toiling in the rear.

Recent setbacks for CCPL Heat has put the team under a bit of pressure and Sela Meas, comprising only local players, is another team that is still far from its known best.

Last year's Challenge runners-up Phnom Penh Dragons, who are currently ranked a lowly eighth, would be jostling for a better position in the next couple of weeks.

Tuk-Tuk rides are a must for any visitor who arrives in Asia. Few, however, drive to their hometown airport in one.

But for UK schoolteachers Rich Sears and Nick Gough, an Indian-made Piaggio auto-rickshaw has proved roadworthy for more than 30,000 kilometres – since their journey began at the British Museum in London.

On Thursday, the duo arrived in Phnom Penh, having left England last August on a quest to break the world record for the longest trip ever taken by tuk-tuk, which stands at 23,245 miles (37,409 kilometres).

Their 11-month journey has taken them across Europe, Africa, India and Southeast Asia, and will end in Brazil in December. They expect to beat the record when they reach Las Vegas on the journey's upcoming North American stretch.

"We thought a tuk-tuk would be great to go on a long story, to take in different cultures and communities," said Sears.

He and Gough, co-founders of the UK-registered Tuk-Tuk Educational Trust charity, hope also to spread awareness of global educational projects in the 34 countries they visit. They have maintained a video blog that documents each initiative. Each video is accompanied with a request for direct donations to the highlighted project.

Last weekend, their Cambodian stop took them to the Centre for Children's Happiness, a residential centre for orphaned and abandoned children in Phnom Penh.

"We are both teachers and we are very passionate about the role that education can play in development," said Sears.

"We also wanted to highlight some of the really positive, inspiring success stories of local people standing up in their own communities."

Despite the durability of the tuk-tuk, which has not yet suffered a major breakdown, the journey has not been hazard-free. A particularly rough stretch came in northern Kenya.

"[The area] was quite notorious, with a lot of people getting mugged and tribal conflict," said Gough. "There were no roads, so we had eight days without road, which involved a lot of pushing."

Sears said that the ordeal, which concluded on Christmas Day when they arrived in Nairobi, took its toll on the pair.

"We thought 'this is no way to spend Christmas, what the hell are we doing here? How did we go from teaching just south of London to stuck in the mud in a swamp in the outskirts in Nairobi?'"

Elephants in Uganda and Botswana also posed a danger. "One up ahead on the road looked around at us, and we thought it didn't like the really loud engine," said Sears.

"But as soon as we turned it off, it squared up to us, ears flapping, trumpeting, and we're just panicking. I had the camera trying to take a picture, and Nick is trying to turn it on putting it in reverse."

One of the biggest challenges for the pair, who have known each other since they were babies, has been maintaining their own relationship.

"It's like being married, but worse," said Gough, adding that he is never more than a few feet away from Sears.

Both Sears and Gough said that when times get tough, they keep their educational goals in mind.

"The initiative of education for all is at the heart of what we're doing," said Sears.

A self-described "techy", Justin Lin, 30, has two tablets: Apple's iPad and the Nexus 7, made by Taiwanese electronics company Asus.

Lin, an IT auditor, said he paid more than $500 for the iPad from US-based Apple because of its consistent quality and long battery life. He bought the $200 Asus for a more pedestrian reason.

"It's so cheap, why not?" he said.

Technologically speaking, Lin is something of an outlier. Cambodia is one of the smallest markets for the portable touchscreen computers in Southeast Asia, market research shows.

A smaller population means smaller sales, but a lack of brand choices and price options also pose challenges.

While tablet sales in Cambodia have doubled over the past two years, figures are lagging compared with the region, according to Gerard Tan, regional account director for digital technology at Singapore market research firm Gfk Asia.

Tablet sales in Cambodia totalled $14 million between June 2012 and May 2013, doubling from $7 million during the previous 12 months, Tan said.

At the end of 2012, sales of the devices in Malaysia reached $415 million.

"There are only an estimated six brands selling in Cambodia, which is considerably less than other markets," Tan said.

And among those brands, which include Asus, Dell, Acer, and Huawei, both Apple and Samsung dominate market share, store owners estimate.

Kouy Sonak, general manager of Anana Computer in Phnom Penh, said Cambodia is still playing catch up with the rest of Southeast Asia.The country, he said, can't compete with Malaysia and the Philippines because customers aren't as tech savvy, and "our population is a small fraction of numbers in those countries".

By his calculations, the total number of tablets sold in Cambodia since the devices were introduced is less than the units that moved off shelves in Malaysia last year.

Chap Makara, assistant to the director at electronics retailer Ktop in Sorya Shopping Centre, said since last October, tablets made up less than a quarter of overall sales at the store.

He declined to reveal figures for specific brands but said Apple and South Korea-based Samsung are Ktop's best sellers. He added that Samsung has a competitive edge because they offer a wider range of products at different prices.

"If someone wants a high-end tablet, they can buy a Samsung for over $500. If they want a lower-end product, Samsung offer tablets starting at $250," Chap said.

In Chap's view, Cambodians don't see tablets as "an investment to help them save time and money", he said. "A tablet simply for entertainment is not worth the money."

For those who can afford tablets, either on their own or through generous family members willing to foot the bill, entertainment is the sole purpose.

University friends Soa Beng Chheng, an 18-year-old finance and banking student, and 20-year-old Ma Chiny, who studies English, said they prefer surfing the web and playing computer games on their iPads to doing schoolwork.

At one of several branches for authorised Apple dealer iOne in Phnom Penh, associate marketing manager Damaityma Kao said the tablet is usually an add-on to an existing computer or smartphone, and customers don't value it for functionality.

"IPad sales are growing much faster than iMac and MacBooks, but it is an entertainment device. Its demand will never replace that of computers," Kao said. "It may be a cheaper temporary alternative to a MacBook, but the functions are very different. A tablet can't replace a laptop for work purposes."

But the device is still cheaper than an iMac, which starts at about $1,300, leaving some to make due.

Phnom Penh International University student Hok Longdy, 22, says he uses his iPad for research and to complete assignments because he can't afford a laptop.

Hok likes the mobility of the iPad, and will buy the MacBook Pro when he has the money.

"The programs I would use on the MacBook are also on the iPad," he said. "It is good enough for now."

The ruling Cambodian People's Party saw its ironclad grip on the National Assembly weaken dramatically, dropping 22 seats in winning 68 of 123, with the opposition the beneficiary and the CPP's royalist coalition partners winning none at all in an election rife with alleged irregularities.

Though polls – which opened at 7am – were calm for the most part, isolated incidents of violence in Phnom Penh, Kandal and Prey Veng attested to the unusually tense atmosphere surrounding this election, the most fiercely contested in a decade.

And though the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party made unprecedented gains, party officials said they believed their share of the vote was far higher than reported, while election monitors warned of widespread irregularities.

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According to figures released by the CPP and concurrently posted on other government websites including that of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee, the opposition won in four provinces: Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng and Kandal, and made inroads on every CPP stronghold.

CNRP lawmaker Tioulong Saumura, said the gains were likely even stronger.

"I think they are higher [in our favour]," said Saumura, who is also opposition leader Sam Rainsy's wife. "But I think it's a big victory, even if we were to accept those figures that have come in violation of the law."

Senior CPP lawmaker Chheang Vun conceded that the party would need to "make some reforms, review and work harder" in the wake of the early results.

A tense day
With numerous names missing from voter lists, allegations of illegal voting, and concerns over the quality of the election ink and ballot paper, pressure at times exploded into violence.

In Phnom Penh's Stung Meanchey commune, a riot broke out in the afternoon as voters left off the list contested the results of the election, claiming officials had allowed Vietnamese to illegally vote.

About 100 police officers poured in, surrounding the pagoda, where they were met with rock-throwing demonstrators who overturned two military police cars before setting them on fire. At least one man was injured and sent to the hospital, while protesters detained the polling station director.

The incident mirrored one that took place earlier in the day in nearby Kbal Koh commune, where 500 people blocked allegedly illegal Vietnamese voters from casting ballots. Similar scenes played out elsewhere across Phnom Penh and were widely disseminated on social media.

Similarly, in Prey Veng's Kanh Chriech district, at least 100 people incited rallies against people they considered "outsiders" coming to vote in Kdoeung Reay commune.

An 18-year-old was detained as authorities sought to crack down on the riot, which they said was unwarranted as every voter had been registered in that area for a year.

"Villagers don't understand the election law and reacted this way because they have never seen these people before. That's why police and military police were down here," said deputy commune chief Yem Yuhorn, seeking to explain a heavy military presence.

Large numbers of police, military police and military could be seen across the country. After the ballots closed, armed forces were deployed across Phnom Penh and in front of Hun Sen's house and CPP headquarters, panicking many, who ran to stock up on food and emptied ATMs around the capital.

"We deployed the armed forces to protect the security after the election," said National Military Police spokesman Kheng Tito.

"I think it is normal for armed forces to protect the security to prevent any incident after the election," he said.

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Crying foul
Though violence affected only a handful of areas, alleged irregularities were rife, election monitors Comfrel, the National Democratic Institute and Transparency International reported.

"Based on the standards of democracy and the principle of democracies worldwide, for that to meet the [international] standards of elections, Cambodia's elections fell short," Preap Kol, executive director of TI Cambodia, said at a conference held last night.

"The campaign environment is better this year, better than 2008 for violence, but when you look at what happened today with the polls and the chaos at the polls, when you see that, then the elections this year are worse."

Observers recorded unprecedented voter list problems, "unusual" numbers of police at polling stations and at least two stations that were moved without prior notice.

"In some areas, this has led to outrage and mobs," he said, adding that the ease with which indelible ink could be removed from fingers led to another series of problems.

Though NEC officials insisted the ink was just one of many safeguards, at least some people managed to cast multiple ballots. At a Meanchey district polling station, one man told the Post he'd easily voted twice once the ink was removed – once for him, another time for a relative whose name should have been on the list but was left off.

Comfrel reported Sunday night that more than 200 individual irregularities had been recorded, the bulk of which related to missing voter list names.

Earlier this year, NDI warned that upwards of a million people were wrongly left off the voter list of 9.6 million and highlighted a raft of issues – including registration rates exceeding 125 per cent in some provinces.

Opposition leader Rainsy, who was left off both the voter and candidate lists despite a royal pardon that overturned his convictions, said the party was highly concerned.

Speaking at a Sothearos polling station in Bassac commune, one of several stations he stopped at over the course of the day, Rainsy told reporters that voters were growing increasingly upset.

"Many people could not find their names, so they are lost and they feel very sad not to be able to cast their ballots. I see that they have set it up to be difficult for people who are known not to support [the CPP] side. So they make people's names vanish," he said.

At a press conference held at National Election Committee headquarters shortly after the ballots were counted, chairman Im Suosdey denied reports of large-scale problems, saying the instances of violence were the only troubles faced at the polls.

Rather than problems with the voter list or registration issues, insisted Suosdey, the age of the voters was to blame for the isolated skirmishes.

"In the 2008 election, there were not many youths, so the situation was not chaotic. We try to avoid the problem, especially authorities try to avoid problem in the polling station," he told reporters.

Another group of observers was similarly sanguine about the day's turnout.

Speaking at an NEC-organised conference, representatives from the International Conference of Asian Political Parties – a group of foreign monitors whose trip was sponsored by the CPP – lauded the election.

Touring the capital since Friday, delegates from countries including South Korea, Azerbaijan, Laos, the Russian Federation, Malaysia and Thailand allegedly only witnessed "fair and transparent democratic proceedings", according to Russia's delegate, one of nine who refused to give their names to the handful of reporters who attended the briefing.

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Tough pill for CPP
If preliminary results are accurate, the tally sees the CPP drop to its lowest vote share in 15 years.

While its majority stands, and the party will retain power thanks to the constitution's "50-plus-one" proviso, officials appeared somewhat cowed yesterday.

"The success is not like the election in 2008, and we will have to make some reforms, review and work harder," admitted senior CPP lawmaker Vun.

Vun also took pains to point to the opposition success as proof positive of Cambodia's functioning democracy.

"It's a good democracy in Cambodia, as we have a strong challenge from the opposition."

For Funcinpec, which appeared to have not won a single seat in spite of promises that a royalist merger had re-energised the party, a measure of denial seemed the word of the day.

"I don't yet know what the actual results are," Funcinpec spokesman Tum Sambo said. "I will follow this up in every province. But it's not yet confirmed."

The CNRP, meanwhile, gave conflicting information, withdrawing a statement claiming victory, which was issued shortly after the polls closed, and instead urging supporters to stay calm.

"Today is a historic day, the day that citizens have expressed their will. There is nothing more important than the people's real will; we are democrats and must respect and congratulate," Rainsy said at a press conference.

"I would like to appeal to all CNRP supporters to absolutely avoid using violence against anyone. Don't touch anyone, even one hair."

Fear of violence appeared to have concerned others as well, with the US embassy urging its citizens to "limit their movements" because of "the potential for civil unrest".

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Individual struggles
Though most voters entered, cast ballots and left without any problem, many encountered difficulties.

Voters whose names weren't on the list were told to call an NEC hotline for support. One woman the Post saw in this situation in Prey Veng was unable to get through after repeated efforts.

Another woman, who arrived to find someone else had voted using her name, was still allowed to cast a ballot.

In Peamro district's Prek Khsay Khor commune, CNRP supporter Mok Meng was in a heated discussion with voting officials. "I did not see my name and officials have not helped me," she said, adding she had checked her details before the election.

But Snoun Channy, a voting inspector for the CPP, said Meng had been careless. "It's her fault. If she had checked, her name would be there and she could vote."

Despite widespread claims of illegal Vietnamese voters, Prey Veng, too, saw large gains for the CNRP, with the opposition jumping from 3 to 6 of the province's 11 seats.

In Battambang, Cheng Sim, 75, said she was bereft after being unable to cast a ballot after four straight elections in which she had successfully voted. "I really want to vote for the peace and happiness of my country," she said.

Sim said she had never heard of the identification certificate for election (ICE) form that is issued by commune officials and allows those without identification to cast their vote.

Up to 100,000 ICEs are estimated to have been issued in Battambang, raising fears that "ghost-voters" could have assumed the identities of others.

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Against the predictions of Interior Minister and CPP lawmaker Sar Kheng, who yesterday morning insisted "the CPP will not lose, and we will maintain at least six seats", the opposition managed to make a slight inroad, winning three of eight seats.

In Kampong Cham, the most populous province, with 18 seats up for grabs, the opposition jumped from six seats to 10, while the royalists saw their single seat here erased.

Those outcomes dovetailed neatly with predictions proffered by CNRP deputy Kem Sokha, who yesterday told reporters that it was impossible the CPP would retain its 11 seats.

"If they get 11 seats, it's because they're cheating," he said.

Ultimately, it appeared the opposition's rallying cry of b'do hit home for many.

"The reason that I came to vote is that I just want to change the leaders," Sok Dara, 29, said, noting that the sentiment was widely shared by his friends and co-workers.

"It's been 30 years already, and we're still not developed."

REPORTING BY VONG SOKHENG, CHEANG SOKHA, MEAS SOKCHEA, SEN DAVID, CHHAY CHANNYDA, KIM SAROM, BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA, SEAN TEEHAN, AMELIA WOODSIDE AND ABBY SEIFF IN PHNOM PENH; MAY TITTHARA AND STUART WHITE IN KAMPONG CHAM; MOM KUNTHEAR AND SHANE WORRELL IN PREY VENG; PHAK SEANGLY AND KEVIN PONNIAH IN BATTAMBANG