Cambodian Oppn leaders confident of election victory

The prince, head of the royalist Funcinpec party, and Sam Rainsy, who heads a party named after him, voted within 30 minutes of each other in Kampong Cham, east of the capital.

Speaking separately to reporters, each predicted victory as long as the election was free, fair and non-violent.

The prince, ousted as first prime minister last year in fierce fighting, arrived at the Uddour high school to applause from hundreds of people gathered to cast ballots. “If there is a turnout from 80 to 90 per cent of voters, I’m sure Funcinpec will win,” he told reporters. But, he said, the turnout would depend on the conditions voters felt they faced including reported political intimidation andviolence.

Sam Rainsy, who voted some 30 minutes earlier at the same polling station, also said he was encouraged by campaign and the initial high turnout. “We always have hope because we see that the people coming to vote are hopeful,” the former finance minister told reporters.

“Today can be a turning point, I hope it will be, but I have no illusions.” He said he would not be satisfied that voting had gone well until the polls closed and said he remained concerned that the results might not be respected, especially in the case of an Opposition victory. “It is too early to say whether polling day has been going smoothly and we can only assess the situation in the next few days after the count.”