Cambodia's Labor Ministry appealed to garment workers to remain calm although the opposition are set to hold a massive protest on September 7 against the results of the July 28 election in which the Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won a majority of vote.

"The Ministry would like to appeal to workers, trade unions, employers to stay calm and fulfill their duties as usual, avoiding participation in any planned demonstration," said a statement released to the Media on Wednesday.

The statement said the propagandizing of some politicians to attract workers to join the protest could affect workers' living standards and create disorder in society.

Garment industry, the kingdom's largest income maker, comprises some 510,600 workers from about 500 factories. The sector earned 4. 6 billion U.S. dollars last year, said the Ministry of Commerce.

On Sunday, the country's top Buddhist monks also called on the clergy to refrain from joining any political demonstrations, saying that it was an abuse of morals and professional ethics.

Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), announced last Thursday that the party would hold a mass nonviolent demonstration on Sept. 7 against the results of the July 28 election.

The initial election results showed that the Cambodian People' s Party (CPP) of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen won the poll with 68 of the 123 parliamentary seats, and the CNRP took the remaining 55 seats.

But the CNRP claimed that it should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting the remaining 60 seats if alleged poll irregularities were fairly resolved.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng said Sunday that in order to facilitate security affairs and to ensure public order, nonviolent protests would be allowed only at " Freedom Parks" in cities and provinces.

"All authorities and competent armed forces must carefully implement their respective duties with high responsibility and adherence to the laws in order to maintain security, safety, and public order during any peaceful demonstration," he said in a public notice, advising the armed forces to "exercise their utmost restraints in order to avoid at all cost of potential clashes."

The official election results will be officially released on September 8. Endi

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