Cambodia's new party 'helps' PM

Hun Sen has held political power for more than 15 years

The leader of Cambodia's royalist Funcinpec party, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, has warned that his half-brother's new political party will split the royalist vote and ensure continued dominance by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

If I were Hun Sen I would keep playing golf

Prince Ranariddh

Prince Ranariddh said the launch by Prince Norodom Chakrapong of the Prince Norodom Chakrapong Khmer Soul party would split votes to Hun Sen's advantage in next year's general elections.

"(Royalists) continue to split and Hun Sen continues to control," he told reporters. "If I were Hun Sen I would keep playing golf."

Prince Norodom Chakrapong, who was convicted in 1994 of planning a coup against the coalition government of Prime Minister Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says he has already applied for permission to contest next year's election.

Prince Ranariddh shared power until Hun Sen ousted him in 1997

He is offering to forge an alliance with the opposition Sam Rainsy party.

Prince Norodom Chakrapong, who also owns a small domestic airline, says it is unfair of critics to accuse him of splitting the royalist vote, as the royalist Funcinpec party run by his half-brother Prince Norodom Ranariddh is already weak.

The new party's launch follows Funcinpec's trouncing at local elections in February, when it only received 20% of the vote.

Cambodia's ruling coalition is overwhelmingly dominated by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Hun Sen, has been known to employ strong-arm tactics to ward off any threat to his rule.

At least 20 candidates and activists from the royalist Funcinpec and the opposition Sam Rainsy Party were killed in violence in the run-up to the February poll.