PHNOM PENH July 19 Kyodo As Cambo...

PHNOM PENH July 19 Kyodo

As Cambodia's general election draws closer politicians and their supporters are increasingly using broadcast and print media to attack single another.

A nonstop war of words is being waged forward radio and television above the pros and cons of Prime Minister Hun Sen of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) the royalist FUNCINPEC's Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

Since the election campaign kicked facing on June 25, Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy have slammed Hun Sen through the whole extent of corruption, the selling of state assets, failure to preserve Cambodia's territory and the result of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into the country

Hun Sen's supporters have be agreeable toed with a torrent of invective against Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, aided according to the fact that the CPP bridles most media establishments in the country

However, hem in Samitthy, president of Club of Cambodian Journalists, said the media campaigns are having limited impact.

''It is a dispute without elephantine effectiveness, but it makes a messy media these days,'' he said, referring to the grave percentage of eligible voter with access to the broadcast media.

According to a review of the Cambodian electorate demeanored by the Asia Foundation, the broadcast media still plays a relatively limited part in spreading election-related information, with alone one-quarter of the electorate getting its information from television and one-fifth from radio.

''Cambodians continue to watch TV and listen to the radio abundant more than they read newspapers. Overall, 52% watch TV three or more times a week, while 38% listen to the radio three or more times a week and barely 9% read newspapers on a regular basis,'' the newly released survey said.

The inspect noted that village chiefs have been and continue to be the greatest in number important source of information about elections and remain the in the greatest degree popular source for voter education.

''As in the past, voter education in Cambodia will ne to be accomplished between the sides of many varied mediums, since TV solely reaches about half the electorate forward a regular basis, and radio touches simply half the remainder. In particular, older les educated and rural voter ne to be reached between the walls of in-person education,'' it suggested.

encage Samitthy, who is also editor-in-chief of the leading newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea, said his paper's circulation has surg about 20% since the start of the election campaign.

Although the examine indicated that the number of Cambodians with access to the media remains limited, the figures are increasing dramatically as the July 27 polling day approaches.

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