Constitutional Amendments on Single Khmer Nationality for Top Leaders Promulgated

His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, has promulgated the amendments to the New Articles 19, 82, 106 (1), 119, and 137 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia; and the Articles 3 and 4 of the Additional Constitutional Law to ensure the normal functioning of national institutions.

The promulgation was made in a royal decree signed by His Majesty the King on Nov. 3.

The constitutional amendments, approved by the Senate on Nov. 2 and by the National Assembly (NA) on Oct. 25, stipulate that the NA President, Senate President, Prime Minister and Constitutional Council (CC) President must have a single Khmer nationality.

The NA, the Senate, the Royal Government and the CC are the nation’s supreme institutions responsible for making decisions on important matters that are the nation’s lifeblood to ensure national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia; the nation’s and people’s supreme interests; and the absolute opposition to foreign interference in the internal affairs or to order on national and international policies of Cambodia.

On this basis, NA President, Senate President, Prime Minister and CC President are all obliged to take the oath of office in the presence of the King by making a firm commitment to be loyal to the nation and protect the supreme interests of the Cambodian nation and people. At the same time, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia and related laws also require that all MPs, senators, Prime Minister and CC’s members must be Cambodian nationals by birth.

Moreover, the president, vice presidents and members of the National Election Committee, which is also an institution enshrined in the Constitution, are also required by law to be of Khmer nationality by birth and to have only Khmer citizenship in order to ensure the fulfillment of their duties related to the election work so that it is conducted independently to ensure the protection of national interests from external interference in the internal affairs of the election process.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press