PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has praised and thanked the leaders of the Candlelight Party for issuing a statement condemning those who intend to insult the King.

Prime Minister Hun Sen wrote on his Facebook page, "I would like to commend and thank the leaders of the Candlelight Party for issuing a statement condemning those who intend to insult the King as per my request yesterday, 26 October 2022, in Kampong Chhnang province.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, 27 October, the Candlelight Party denied allegations of its ties with Sam Rainsy, and also condemned anyone who insults the King of Cambodia without stating any specific names.

The party stated it “condemns all those who intentionally insult or violate the King and the monarchy which are protected by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia.”

In the same statement, the party declared that no one person or any party has control over the party's work and decision-making.

This announcement comes after Prime Minister Hun Sen, on Wednesday, asked Candlelight Party leaders Teav Vannol, Son Chhay, and Thach Setha, to clarify their position on the insulting statement Sam Rainsy made about the King. The Prime Minister hinted that the Candlelight Party may be dissolved if it continued to maintain inner ties with the exiled opposition leader.

He reiterated the law on political parties which states that all parties are prohibited from having any contact with individuals who are considered prisoners of the country.

"So what you should do is make it clear that Sam Rainsy's claim that the King has no patriotic conscience and that in the past years has committed treason, is an insult to the King," said the Prime Minister.

"Is [such insult] appropriate or inappropriate? At this point, I want a guarantee from you [that you are condemning Sam Rainsy's statement], and do not say that this is a threat, you must know that I represent the Royal Government. I must be able to defend the monarchy, and protect the throne. I cannot let you [violate the King]," he further added.

Sam Rainsy, who currently resides in France, is the former president of the Sam Rainsy Party, which later merged with the Human Rights Party to form the Cambodia National Rescue Party, and then later reformed into the Candlelight Party.

In a video clip that was recently shared online, the exiled opposition leader makes comments insulting the King of Cambodia, stating that the King “has no national conscience,” and further accusing the King of having signed a royal decree to hand over Cambodian land to foreigners. The former opposition leader's comments have been met with widespread condemnation from the Royal Government, all ministries, institutions, and the people.