Cambodia's reformed election body officially established

Cambodia's new National Election Committee launched operations on Monday, vowing to organize free, fair and transparent elections in the future.

The new committee's nine members, who were elected by the National Assembly last Thursday, took office on Monday in a ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Royal Palace Minister Kong Sam Ol.

Sek Bunhok, ex-lawmaker from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), was named as chairman of the committee, while Kuoy Bunroeun, ex-lawmaker from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was appointed vice-chairman.

Other seven members included three each from the CPP and CNRP, and one "neutral" person, who is not related to political parties.

"As the leaderships of the new committee, we will do our best to carry out roles and duties with independence, neutrality, integrity, and transparency in order to ensure free and fair elections in the future that can be accepted by all concerned parties," Sek Bunhok said at the ceremony.

The new committee was introduced after Prime Minister Hun Sen and CNRP President Sam Rainsy reached an agreement on July 22 last year to end the opposition's 10-month boycott of the National Assembly following the 2013 elections.

Both Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy have confidence that the new committee will ensure free and fair national elections in 2018 and prevent post-election deadlock.

"I'm confident that the reformed National Election Committee will end the concerns of our people and businessmen over post- election crisis," Hun Sen told reporters on Thursday last week.