Cheam Yeab – a National Assembly (NA) member for Prey Veng province and chairman of the NA’s Economics, Finance, Banking and Auditing Commission – was selected by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to be the NA’s first vice-president, replacing Nguon Nhel who passed away on November 5.

NA spokesman Leng Peng Long told The Post on November 14 that the NA will hold a vote of confidence after the upcoming Water Festival holiday.

He said he did not know the exact reasons for selecting Yeab as the first vice-president other than his having been a senior CPP official since 1979 who has done a great deal of work for the party and on behalf of his constituents in Prey Veng province.

“He has held a number of positions including provincial governor and tourism minister – and he is a member of the Standing Committee of the party and the NA,” he added.

CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said Yeab is a long-time CPP official whose qualifications to be first vice-president are obvious, such as his position on the party’s Standing Committee.

“[Yeab] has done a lot of work for the party and he was promoted to the rank of member of the CPP’s Standing Committee, which is no mean feat,” he said.

Yeab – who originally hails from Banlech Prasat commune’s Prek Cham village in Prey Veng province’s Peamro district – has served in the NA for more than 40 years.

He told The Post on November 15 that he had received official notice earlier that day of an NA session scheduled for November 25 to elect him to the office of first vice-president.

He added that when he takes office as the first vice-president, he will urge the NA to further implement modern technology in accordance with the needs and expectations of the World Parliament and the ASEAN Parliament and that he will also try to ensure that the NA always respects and complies with the Constitution and fulfils its roles and responsibilities as a parliamentary body.