Funcinpec party president Prince Norodom receives medical treatment at the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital following a tragic traffic accident in June last year that took the life of his wife. Photo supplied
An anonymous source from Funcinpec said acting president Prince Norodom Chakravuth had held a meeting with other officials to discuss selling several of the party headquarters across the country while the party president Prince Norodom Ranariddh receives medical treatment at the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital following a tragic traffic accident in June last year that took the life of his wife.
Unverified information is swirling around that officials of the party attempted to sell some of its headquarters in the provinces because Ranariddh was short on cash for medical bills.
However, the anonymous source quickly denied the rumour, saying that “Prince Norodom is not short on resources for the medical fees”.
Chakravuth and some other officials intended to sell some of their headquarters as “they foresee the party’s political life would no longer move forward”, the source said.
“The past few days [Prince] Chakravuth has been trying to garner votes in support of selling the headquarters buildings. They wanted to demolish them – it seems like [a] hopeless [decision]. [They] want to dissolve the Funcinpec [party],” said the source, who also claimed to be one of the party officials.
Two officials, Say Hak and Sao Rany, had expressed support for Chakravuth’s decision to sell some of the party headquarters buildings, said the anonymous source. “The two are currently preparing the paperwork to sell the Preah Sihanouk [province] headquarters,” he said.
Meanwhile, the source said, Funcinpec vice-president Yim Savy is processing documentation to sell the headquarters in Kampong Chhnang province.
Having said that, the source claimed that “many other officials had opposed the sales plan as Prince Norodom Ranariddh is still being hospitalised”.
The source further claimed that Ranariddh has been cared for by the medical professionals at the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital since May 22, “where initially he had a broken hip but his condition had improved after surgery”.
Yim Savy told The Post on Thursday that Chakravuth had called and asked him about the land title to the headquarters building in Kampong Chhnang province, but claimed he was unaware of the prince’s intention.
“The past few days, I have heard that Prince Chakravuth wanted to sell [the headquarters]. I find it impossible as the party belongs to all of us,” Savy said.
Responding to a claim made by the anonymous source that some officials were unable to foresee Funcinpec moving forward, Savy said the party was still striving to keep its shape while comparing it to the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party.
Say Hak, who was reportedly involved in the headquarters sale scheme, declined to comment on Thursday.
Neither Prince Chakravuth nor Funcinpec party spokesman Nop Sothearith could be reached either.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh and his wife Ouk Phalla were involved in a traffic accident in June last year, after which they were immediately rushed to the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Hospital.
The accident was said to have been caused by a Toyota Highlander which crashed into the prince’s vehicle at precisely 8:50am said local police.
Reports stated that Phalla had remained in an unconscious state until she died just after 12pm the same day. Ranariddh was airlifted from the provincial hospital to the Phnom Penh Hospital in critical condition.
