CPP lawmakers have warned that the National Assembly could slash the salaries of opposition SRP and HRP lawmakers for walking out of a parliamentary session in protest Friday
- From: Chim <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 02:40:59 -0700 (PDT)
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009060326243/National-news/Opposition-MPs-face-wage-cut-after-boycott-of-Assembly-session.html
Opposition MPs face wage cut after boycott of Assembly session
Written by Meas Sokchea
Wednesday, 03 June 2009
Ruling party says 26 lawmakers could be ‘fined' for walkout, which
opposition says was sparked by rejected changes to disabilities
legislation.
RULING party lawmakers have warned that the National Assembly could
slash the salaries of opposition Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights
Party lawmakers for walking out of a parliamentary session in protest
Friday.
CPP lawmaker Sman Teath said Tuesday that during the boycott, National
Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin had told the secretariat to write down
the names of opposition parliamentarians who left the meeting and
that the body would consider cutting their salaries.
"The chairman said that, based on parliamentary regulations,
parliamentarians who leave meetings without asking permission can be
fined by a reduction in their salaries," Sman Teath said.
"Whether they are fined or not depends on a meeting [Heng Samrin] is
holding with the committee to decide this. He cannot decide by
himself."
Lawmakers make a base monthly salary of US$1,050, although it is
unclear by how much this could be cut, he said. Sman Teath added that
Heng Samrin has always tried to understand the positions of opposition
lawmakers but lamented that they still did not follow the Assembly's
regulations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OUR BOYCOTT WAS UNDERTAKEN BECAUSE WE HAVE ASKED FOR CHANGES TO THE
LAW...
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Opposition groups boycotted Friday's session, saying that they did so
in protest against Heng Samrin's decision to reject their request for
amendments to the Disabilities Law, which was passed without their
recommendations.
SRP lawmaker Ho Vann said that the party had sent its request to CPP
lawmaker Ho Naun, president of the Assembly's Special Committee for
Public Health, Social Work, Labour and Women's Affairs Wednesday, but
they were not called for follow-up discussions.
"Our boycott was undertaken because we had asked for changes to the
law in the interests of disabled people, but when [CPP lawmakers] did
not listen to our requests, we decided to leave the meeting," he
said.
"We do not care about salary cuts. We have not seen any law stating
that our salaries would be cut ... but whether they cut our salaries
is up to them."
Committee President Ho Naun, could not be reached for comment on
Tuesday.
Hang Puthea, executive director of election monitoring group Nicfec,
said that the threat of salary cuts was not technically correct
because the law was not clear on the point.
"I think that both the ruling party and opposition parties should
resolve this properly ... so that people can have confidence in them,"
he said.
.
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