Three sarongs showing on my blog are the gifts that my cousin received from a political party official last week at her home. A woman approached my cousin’s home and then told her to thumbprint on the book bearing the names of her, her mother and husband. Those are eligible to vote for upcoming national election. After thumbprinting, a woman gave her three sarongs. But the woman did not tell my cousin to vote for any parties.
I did not see all activities that my cousin thumbprinted. After getting them, I asked her that “do you have voting card?” and she said that, “No, I did not register it and my mother didn’t too, except my husband.” As I know she never takes care of voting for any parties, what is important for her is her business to support family.
Therefore, I think that the give-giving is not equal to the vote of purchasing. It is because that when political party officials gave someone with gifts, they don’t verify whether those really have voting card or not (my cousin’s case). By the way, they did not know which parties the people will vote for. So that, gift-giving does not equate to the vote purchasing, how do you think?
These three sarongs that my cousin received from party officials.
Popularity: 2% [?]
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 am
ummm, I wonder what the thumbprinted was for?????….
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:40 am
If you ask me why they require to thumbprint, I have no answer to your question. Sorry. I wounder too. I asked my cousin about this but she did not know too.
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Ummm better be careful what are you (not your personally) signing for or thumbprinted for…. to avoid future complications ….. hope this is not severe…..
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
If it was my personal issue, i would ask more details about this or not thumbprint as well. I hope that it does not matter to all people who received gifts from political party officials. I think that it is the small gift in order to make people attachment.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Hum. No wonder the well educated person like you do not know what is right and what is wrong. You can see only a small thing and short term result. You forget to see the long term result. What your government has done so far is to sell your country to Vietnam and Thai-siem. Look at your border now and look at your Preah vihear Temple. If your government did a good job, you might have not faced with of fear of loosing your temple to Siam. Again, if your goverment did a god job, then, there is no need to take 30 years to develop your country.
Seila
June 27th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Hey, Seila. I do not oppose against or reject what u said and i really agree with your idea. Honestly, i really hate the politicians because they are destroying our innocent Cambodians’ life, they use our Cambodians as their pawn for their politics, self-interest, nepotism and corruption. Maybe u think that i am biased to political party?, i say “NO”, i am hurt when i have seen my innocent Cambodians who have been mistreated, land grabbing, killing of innocent people, my loved territory lost in foreign hand.
And What i said on my blog is a small points and i just raised the case that my cousin received Sarongs from so-called political officials who try to buy my cousin’s vote for their party.
Generally, their gift-giving is really the vote purchasing, I know this point. but what they gave my cousin was the point of purchasing vote but they do not know whether she has voting card or not. in fact she has not voting card. To this point, i said that gift-giving is not equal to vote purchasing.
Once again, thanks for your joining in sharing idea on my blog. I hope you will leave your constructive criticism on my blog in order to share with all of youths and Cambodians. And i welcome your comments.
June 30th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Vote buying or not? Well, not sure, but it’s like a marketing. But it depend on the value of the gift and the circumstances, some time these gifts becomes bribe.
The true problem is is government really doing a good job?
Do people have enough understanding, education to make a decision?
This is why Cambodia need a better education, and freedom of information.
You can claim that the economic growth is a sign of government doing a good job. But value of true democracy is not economic growth alone. It requires respect of human rights, freedom of information, responsibility and accountability, equal opportunity….But in Cambodia these thing doesn’t exist.
For most of the time if these things exist in a country, it will have prosperity, and stability, without needing some strong man, or some one strong to run the country. If the people are smart and strong enough, the leader cannot do any thing they want
July 18th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
You are so naive and ignorant if you think these Khmer politician are just give these sarongs for nothing. Of course, that is what voting buying is, whether they’re giving money or favors or stuff, or in the worst cases, threat for your vote, it’s all part of a very corrupt system of running the country. Who ever has the power will use it and abuse it for as long as they could.
Grow up and look outside of Srok Khmer to inform yourself what the real (outside) world is about. You do have access to the internet and some enough English skill to commicate with non Khmers people. Don’t just listen to what these Khmer propaganda tell you. The truth is out there. Let’s hope that will not be anymore killings before and after the election.