Source: FN
Prime Minister Hun Sen clarified that the constitution was amended in response to the criticism of a big head and small body government.
The clarification was made when the premier presided over the graduation ceremony for more than 2,000 students and the inauguration of engineering building at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia on Thursday.
The premier said that “tomorrow, the Council of Ministers (CoMs) will hold a meeting to discuss constitutional amendment and additional amendments to Penal Code on lèse-majesté” adding that “I need to clarify why we need to amend the constitution”.
The premier elaborated that “they wondered why the CoMs of Cambodia has so many members. Our constitution stipulated that the CoMs shall include Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Minister, Minister and Secretary of Secretary of State.
“The Secretary of State is like the Deputy Minister; therefore it shall not need the vote of confidence by the National Assembly which causes the big head in CoMs, and that Secretary of State shall be appointed by Royal Decree”, the premier added.
The agenda of the CoMs’ plenary session includes (1) the draft law on the amendment on article 34 (new), 42, 49, 53, and 118 (new) of the constitution of Cambodia; (2) the draft law on the amendment of Criminal Law; (3) the draft law on the amendment on article 26, 27 (new), 28, 31 and 32 of the law on the organization and functioning of the Constitutional Council, according to the spokesman of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Phay Siphan.