Soldier registration issues examined

Soldier registration issues examined

Two complaints about the registration of soldiers as voters in Preah Vihear province have been resolved, according to officials, though the National Election Committee continues to investigate further reports of voter registration irregularities involving military personnel.

NEC spokesman Hang Puthea said the body had established that a misunderstanding in Chheb district’s Chheb II commune led to soldiers, who were working at a sugar farm nearby but stationed at a base in another commune, being allowed to register.

“Our stance is that the mistake was unintentional,” he said. “But now, these soldiers are already registered, they cannot be registered at other places for a second time.”

Meanwhile a dispute that arose in Preah Vihear’s Kulen district when an opposition commune chief refused to register a group of 300 soldiers he did not recognise has also been resolved.

Srayang commune chief and Sam Rainsy Party member Pen Lam said he enrolled the men, from Brigade 41, after receiving a letter from provincial authorities and the provincial NEC representative confirming they were based in the commune, but had been stationed on the Thai border.

The group’s commander, Kem Sophal, could not be reached yesterday.

Puthea said he was yet to receive information about the complaint’s withdrawal.

Meanwhile, he said the body was continuing investigations into reported irregularities with soldier registrations in Siem Reap and Battambang provinces.

According to the NEC’s website, 3.7 million Cambodians have been registered on the Kingdom’s new digital voter lists since the three-month drive began September 1.