The ruling CPP district chief refused to hand over the office to the commune chief Opposition

Chhit Sophath was the number one district chief in Sihanoukville for 15 years before finally losing his seat in the June 4 commune elections. Now, the loser has refused to hand over his old office to the new chief, saying that he has paid for his groceries and air conditioning and that his personal documents may be lost if he moves.

While commune chiefs, councils and councils were recently elected nationwide this week, Chhit Sophath from the ruling Cambodian People's Party and now second vice-chair of Commune 1, said that the newly-elected district could work in one of the three other similar rooms in the building instead.

002-CPP_Youth_Meeting Mr Chhith Sophath, now in his 60s and who has been a commune chief since 2002, said: "I have not yet decided to move."

The neighborhood, which cost $ 20,000, was built in 2012, and the money spent on the construction was mainly due to the accumulation of some money from the government and the government, said Chhith Sophath.

The former headquarters said that four offices in the building were reserved for two village chiefs, two deputy chairs, and one clerk, and all of them were well-equipped and of the same size.

"It is difficult for me to move because I can lose my own personal documents in this room," Mr. Chhit said, adding that he also bought furniture and cooling machines in the office using personal money.

Arriving on Monday, Ouk Chindy, 28, a new commune chief of the CNRP, said he had no personal office and is now working at a joint workplace in the building.

Referring to the office that Chhith Sophath declined to give to Ouk Chindy, he said, "The president must work in the headquarters because people know" the room.

Eleven councils from the CNRP, six from the CNRP and five from the Cambodian People's Party, held a meeting yesterday and will send a report to the municipality and governor this week to address the issue, Ouk Chindy added.

CPP spokesman Sok Harn said yesterday that local officials should resolve their own disputes and the council should work together to serve the people.

"The old chief of the village should respect the election result," he said. "Please do not cause trouble," he added. Sichheang