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Candlelight Party Official Defects to CPP after Failing to Flee to Thailand

  • Posted Jun 13, 2023 15:16 by Hun Sirivadh
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PHNOM PENH: Candlelight Party chairman Sar Longdeth has released an apology and declared his separation from opposition leader Sam Rainsy after trying and failing to flee to Thailand. He then asked to join politics with the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

Speaking at a meeting with nearly 20,000 workers in Phnom Penh's Pou Senchey district on the morning of June 13, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that the Cambodian SEA Games Commission had filed a lawsuit against Sar Longdeth after he insulted their organization of the Games. The case prohibits Longdeth from leaving the country legally. He then called on Longdeth to return to Phnom Penh after trying, unsuccessfully, to flee via the Thai border. The PM credited the Thai authorities for preventing Longdeth’s escape.

Later that same day, Sar Longdeth released a video apologizing to the Prime Minister for his exaggerated criticism of the organization of the 32nd SEA Games and announced his resignation from the Candlelight Party Board of Directors, emphasizing his secession from Sam Rainsy and his ideologies.

"I apologize to [the PM] for my past actions. From today on I’ll separate from Sam Rainsy and volunteer to join the Cambodian People's Party,” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also President of the CPP, accepted the apology and requested the Ministry of Justice to work with the court to resolve the lawsuit brought against Sar Longdeth for his comments regarding the SEA Games. In a Telegram message, he wrote, "Since this person is aware of his mistake and has publicly apologized, I request the Ministry of Justice to work with the plaintiffs and the court to end this case by withdrawal of complaint or dismissal of charges”.

The story began when the PM spoke to a crowd of over 16,000 workers in Kandal on June 10, during which he said that he knew everything about a meeting organized by Sar Longdeth the previous night, where he criticized the government’s policy of hosting the Games free-of-charge, especially when it came to canceling room and board fees for athletes and not charging for tickets-an unprecedented move for a SEA Games host.


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