Cambodian opposition lawmaker calls for protecting retired PMs

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party's lawmaker Keo Remy has appealed to legislative and executive institutions to develop a draft law that will protect former Cambodian prime ministers from prosecution even after their term has expired, local newspaper reported Saturday.

In a letter dated Tuesday, Keo Remy suggested that the Senate, the National Assembly and the government should begin work on the draft law because it, if approved, would discourage leaders from clinging to power for the rest of their life with adverse national consequences, according to Samleng Yuvechun Khmer.

"Any individual who has led a nation for a long time inevitably makes mistakes," Keo Remy was quoted as saying.

"The fact is that the roots of Cambodia's democracy are not deep and the views of some politicians contain envy, malice and revenge. These are all factors that discourage the leader from stepping down," the letter read.

Keo Remy said that such a law to protect former premiers in Cambodia would show the national and international community that the country is full of understanding, tolerance and modern ideas in political, economic and cultural terms.

Keo Remy wrote the letter just after Iraq's new government hanged ex-dictator Saddam Hussein, the longest-serving leader in the Middle East, for crimes against humanity.

Source: Xinhua