Local media in Phnom Penh on Wednesday highlighted the mixed reactions over the reshuffle of 19 senior government posts in Cambodia, which was proposed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday for the National Assembly and the Senate to vote on.

By the shakeup of these posts held by the co-ruling Funcinpec Party, a message could be felt that Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) was ready to break formally from its coalition with Funcinpec, the Cambodian Daily on Wednesday quoted Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, as saying.

"The CPP wants full control of this government. It is not a coalition anymore," he said.

Right after the proposal was declared, the Funcinpec Party headed by Prince Norodom Ranariddh issued a statement to reject Hun Sen's call to reshuffle the party's senior officials.

The shakeup was not based on national interests, but on personal interests as the officials had done nothing wrong, said the statement, adding that Ranariddh did not approve the reshuffle as he had not been consulted at all.

"The removal contradicts the contract between Prince Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen in the protocol agreement between CPP and Funcinpec signed on June 30, 2004 (to form the coalition government of Cambodia)," it said.

Meanwhile, Ly Touch, who was appointed as senior minister, told local reporters by telephone that he was honored by his appointment and this was not a sign of instability in Funcinpec.
 
"In any government there is always changes sometimes and some ways. The prime minister gave me a mission to serve so I will do my best," he said, adding that the officials listed in the reshuffle was selected by Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay.

Nuth Nin Doeun, who was sacked as secretary of state, said that he was unaware of the shakeup and declined to comment.

In addition, local analysts told Xinhua that Funcinpec were now separated into 2 factions, with one still loyal to the prince and the other much more closer to Hun Sen, and Tuesday's proposal for reshuffle was just an outcome of the long-time wrestling between the two parties during their co-governance of the kingdom which featured cooperation as well as contradiction.

Under Hun Sen's proposal, senior officials' changes for the National Assembly to vote on included Serei Kosal who was to be replaced by Ly Touch as senior minister, Chea Chanboribo by Nouv Sovathero at the Ministry of Information, Tuot Lux by Meach Sam Anat the Justice Ministry, Kassie Neou by Chan Houn at the Ministry of Justice and Pok Than by Tea Chen at the Ministry of Education.

The secretaries of state to be replaced included Nuth Nin Doeunat the Ministry of Tourism, Hor Sopheap at the Ministry of Information, Sok San at the Ministry of Labor, Tann Sithan at the Ministry of Water Resources, and Nge Chhay Ly at the Ministry of Commerce.

Hun Sen also issued a letter to Senate President and Acting Head of State Chea Sim to call for the appointment of nine Funcinpec Party members to replace their party members as under-secretary of states.

The National Assembly is scheduled to cast vote on Hun Sen's proposal next week.

Earlier on Sunday, Hun Sen already threatened during his inspection of Kampong Chhang Province that he would replace some senior government officials who followed Ranariddh closely but not lived up to their duties for the government.

In recent months, Ranariddh criticized the government a lot for inefficiency and corruption, while CPP humiliated him in return by publicizing his notorious private life.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)