Rainsy: Now is the right time to return to Cambodia

Self-exiled Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy (photo) says it is the right time for him to return to his home country due to a unique combination of internal and external pressures facing the Cambodian government.

Rainsy, who spoke to reporters outside the parliament guardhouse today, said the internal pressure comes from calls for a popular uprising. 

"I have called for a popular uprising, a peaceful uprising. The Cambodian authorities were prepared for a crackdown but I have called upon the army not to shoot at civilians and innocent people," he said.

"(Cambodian prime minister) Hun Sen is afraid because he is not sure of the loyalty of the army. The army will stand with the people, the army will not stand with a dictator, so this is the internal pressure."

Rainsy, 70, who is the leader of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), and his vice-president Mu Sochua, 65, had met with Malaysian lawmakers from both sides of the political divide for an informal meeting in parliament. They were invited by PKR's Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar. 

Rainsy said the Cambodian government was facing external pressure from the European Union which is considering to cut preferential trade terms with Cambodia.

"External pressure is the EU because the union is publishing a report which is the basis for the suspension of trade privileges if democracy is not restored. So the Cambodian government faces responsibility," he said. 

"If they don't want Cambodia to face an economic crisis with hundreds of thousands of workers losing their jobs, they must restore democracy." 

He also thanked the Malaysian government who "respected their human rights and allowed them to enter the country".

"The fact that we were received by MPs in the parliament building is meaningful as it means there are MPs from Malaysia who support democracy in Cambodia," he said.

"This is a message sent to the Cambodian people and they must be happy and grateful," he said, adding that values of democracy and human rights should be promoted not only in Malaysia but in Southeast Asia and Asia.

Asked about their future plans, both Rainsy and Mu Sochua declined to reveal much due to security reasons.

"I will be leaving today. For my security, I cannot reveal where I'm going for our security. It is still not safe for us," she said.

Mu Sochua arrived in Malaysia on Nov 7, and Rainsy arrived two days later.

Rainsy initially planned to return to Cambodia on Nov 9 via Thailand but was denied permission to board a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok in Paris, where he has been in self-exile since 2015.

Mu Sochua, who is based in the US, had used an American passport to arrive in  Malaysia. Rainsy and his wife Tioulong Saumura, also an opposition leader, have French citizenship.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (photo) said Putrajaya had received a list from Phnom Penh on the opposition leaders it wants to be sent back.

However, he pointed out that Malaysia has a good reason not to agree since these people did not enter using Cambodian passports.

Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than 20 years, has accused opposition leaders who are planning to return to the country of wanting to stage a coup.

Rainsy had fled to Paris in 2015 after a conviction for criminal defamation and faces a five-year sentence in a separate case. He claims the charges were politically motivated.

Two years later, the opposition CNRP was banned with more party leaders going into exile. This resulted in Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party winning all National Assembly seats in last year's general election.

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