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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CB
SUBJECT: WHITHER FUNCINPEC?   DOWN BUT NOT YET OUT 
 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Margaret McKean, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary.  Since Hun Sen's outreach to opposition 
leader Sam Rainsy, the Prime Minister and his party have 
spoken about ruling coalition partner FUNCINPEC in 
increasingly negative and strident tones.  Hun Sen recently 
criticized FUNCINPEC for being more interested in graft and 
less interested in competency of its public officials, and 
rejected a FUNCINPEC proposal to divide all state education 
positions between the two parties.   Two CPP insiders related 
to the Embassy their own frustrations with FUNCINPEC.  Not to 
be outdone on the reform front, FUNCINPEC is considering a 
proposal whereby voters would have the opportunity to vote on 
individual lawmakers in elections, rather than simply voting 
for a political party.  End Summary. 
 
Prime Minister Tries to Distance Himself from FUNCINPEC 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Prime Minister Hun Sen has been on a public 
offensive against ruling coalition partner FUNCINPEC for much 
of the past week.  On February 14, the Prime Minister railed 
against FUNCINPEC's interest in buying government positions 
or seeking slots for unqualified relatives.  Hun Sen was 
quoted as saying that FUNCINPEC appointees were often not 
qualified for their positions, and he faulted FUNCINPEC 
leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh for failing to ensure that 
only qualified applicants' names were being forwarded for 
consideration.  The PM also noted that in addition to filling 
the government with incompetent people, FUNCINPEC made 
continued demands for remuneration and financial benefits in 
return for joining the CPP-led government.  FUNCINPEC's poor 
relationship with the CPP has been instrumental in convincing 
Hun Sen of the utility of Sam Rainsy's proposal to amend the 
Constitution and allow the formation of a government under a 
50 percent plus 1 formula.  Under the SRP-proposed change, 
any party that achieves 50 percent plus one of the National 
Assembly seats would be in a position to form a government, 
and there would be no need to seek minority parties as 
coalition partners.  The PM has welcomed the proposed 
amendment, saying it would help to prevent the protracted 
political deadlock and negotiations that followed the 2003 
elections. 
 
¶3.  (U)  The PM also rejected a FUNCINPEC proposal that would 
have divided all of the education and teaching positions 
within the government and state-run schools between the CPP 
and FUNCINPEC, saying that educational positions should not 
be subject to political patronage quotas.  FUNCINPEC had 
originally suggested that the government divide the slots 
according to the 70/30 ratio based on the two respective 
parties' percentage of National Assembly seats.  As a further 
slap at the royalist party, the Prime Minister spoke out 
against mistresses and wives of government officials using 
their relationships to further the careers of relatives and 
as a means to collects bribes.  (Note:  Some reporters 
consider the PM's reference in this instance to be directed 
at the mistress of Prince Ranariddh.  End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (U)  In response to the Prime Minister's criticisms, 
FUNCINPEC leader and National Assembly President Prince 
Norodom Ranariddh called Hun Sen's refusal to divide up the 
nation's teaching and administrative posts in the educational 
sector "narrow minded."  The Prince said that PM's negative 
attitude and treatment of his coalition partner could 
threaten stability within the government.  Other FUNCINPEC 
officials agreed, with MP Monh Saphan saying that Hun Sen's 
withdrawal from any coalition would run counter to former 
King Sihanouk's vision of national unity and political 
cooperation.  Battambang FUNCINPEC MP Mrs. Ky Lum Ang said 
that the government political appointments for both the CPP 
and FUNCINPEC are based on a quota system and FUNCINPEC has 
no more or no less than its agreed-upon share.  As for 
competency of officials, if the PM is unhappy with FUNCINPEC 
officials, the FUNCINPEC parliamentarian suggested he propose 
a solution to Prince Ranariddh rather than trying to score 
political points in the press.  She acknowledged that both 
FUNCINPEC and CPP have corrupt and/or unqualified people in 
the government, and that any reforms to address the problem 
must be applied to both parties. 
 
¶5.  (U)  In another step designed to counter CPP accusations 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000328  002 OF 003 
 
 
of incompetency and corruption among FUNCINPEC officials, 
Prince Ranariddh has proposed that Cambodian voters be 
allowed to cast ballots for individual candidates, and not 
just political parties.  With the proposal still under 
consideration within FUNCINPEC, royalist party members 
contend that such a system would be more democratic, reduce 
corruption, and make public officials more accountable to the 
population.  Some observers believe that the 
FUNCINPEC-proposed system would favor wealthy candidates, who 
would have more resources to devote to campaigning.  Within 
the SRP, some officials have suggested that FUNCINPEC is 
trying to copy Sam Rainsy and the Prime Minister, who have 
been capturing headlines for the past week with proposals of 
new reforms. 
 
CPP Insiders Relate Disenchantment with FUNCINPEC 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6.  (C)  In a February 16 meeting with Pol/Econ Chief, MOI 
Secretary of State Prum Sokha underscored CPP unhappiness 
 
SIPDIS 
with FUNCINPEC and welcomed opposition leader Sam Rainsy's 
return as an opening for real reform in Cambodia.  He noted 
that the PM considers FUNCINPEC as the main obstacle to 
reform in Cambodia, and a political liability for the CPP. 
Prum Sokha added that following the 2003 elections, he had 
been a strong advocate for a CPP-SRP alliance, but that Hun 
Sen had opted to form a government with FUNCINPEC, because 
the PM thought they would be an easier partner to manage. 
Unfortunately, he continued, FUNCINPEC officials have simply 
taken advantage of their access to government positions for 
purposes of corruption.  They have bloated the staffing of 
ministries with relatives and party members without 
consideration of qualifications or interest in the jobs. 
Half the time, complained the MOI official, they do not 
bother coming to work but simply collect their salary. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Senior Advisor to the PM, Om Yentieng, told DCM 
February 16 that the PM is fed up with FUNCINPEC.  He 
recounted how Prince Ranariddh's mistress had been forwarding 
names of officials to be appointed and that Ranariddh had 
then sent them along to the PM without any review.  (Note: 
Yentieng has long complained to us of Ranariddh's insistence 
on appointing various officials.  End Note)  Yentieng said, 
"the coalition with FUNCINPEC has cost us dearly."  Expanding 
on the idea, he said that FUNCINPEC had had no interest in 
anything but its own enrichment, with little interest 
whatsoever in the country's development.  The PM had been 
unable to implement reforms, he argued, due to FUNCINPEC's 
bad performance.  In time, Yentieng said, this would hurt the 
CPP at the polls. 
 
Not All FUNCINPEC Officials Pleased with Ranariddh 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8.  (C)  Dr. Sina Than, FUNCINPEC MP for Kampot Province, 
said that he supports Hun Sen's criticisms of FUNCINPEC and 
blames party leader Prince Ranariddh and FUNCINPEC Secretary 
General Prince Norodom Sirivuddh for having failed the party. 
 Without a competent government, Cambodia will continue to be 
unattractive to foreign investment, said the FUNCINEPC 
official.  Because of corruption and nepotism, the party is 
losing support from the people and talented officials, such 
as the SRP's Mu Sochua, have left the party.  Dr. Sina Than 
said he worked hard for the party and performed well as 
Secretary General of the National Assembly, Deputy Governor 
 
SIPDIS 
of Phnom Penh, and Deputy Governor of Kampot.  Despite his 
strong record of public service, he was transferred from the 
positions because he refused to succumb to corruption and 
accepting bribes and kickbacks that in turn would pass to the 
FUNCINPEC party leadership.  The FUNCINPEC official is very 
pessimistic about the party's future. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (C)  FUNCINPEC is currently everyone's favorite whipping 
boy, and has come under criticism from a number of 
politicians in the CPP and SRP -- and its own membership. 
However, while FUNCINPEC has admittedly its fair share of 
corrupt officials with a penchant for graft and cronyism, 
they are by no means alone.  It is also disingenuous for the 
Prime Minister to make himself out to be the victim of 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000328  003 OF 003 
 
 
FUNCINPEC avarice and that he has been unable to do anything 
about it until now, when it is clear that FUNCINPEC takes its 
orders from the CPP and not the other way around.  But the 
Prime Minister's remarks do underscore longstanding CPP 
disenchantment with their ruling coalition partner and 
growing resentment that FUNCINPEC has contributed little to 
the government while taking more than its fair share. 
Mussomeli