Myanmar election shows trend of people's aspiration

The multi-party general election in Myanmar ran smoothly on Sunday. Although it still needs days to reveal the final result of the election, the information available so far has indicated that the mass of people have chosen to cooperate with an eye for change.

The election is the first one in two decades for multi-party participation, representing the 5th step of its seven-step roadmap to democracy and aiming at transforming from a military government to a civilian one.

Observers see the election as playing a significantly important role to the country and the people.

Prior to the election, some of Myanmar's domestic political forces collaborated in consonance with forces of external anti- Myanmar military government, appearing to have taken shape for " boycotting" the election in a bid to influence the polls, especially that the Aung-San-Suu-Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) chose to reject re-registration of its political party, taking a stance of boycotting the election and constantly voicing people not to vote in the election.

In response, the military government took various measures to cope with the efforts with administrative bodies ceaselessly organizing the people not to abandon ballot casting and official media guiding and educating the mass to cherish the rights of voting in accordance with law.

The official media even issued warning to extend military's long ruling if electorates give up voting to make the election fail.

Election campaign comprises all-sided canvassing and competition with hope of getting enthusiastic casting of votes.

The 37 contesting parties include the National Democratic Force (NDF) made up of ex-senior members splitted from the NLD. The NDF leaders stressed that the election makes a step forward to democracy, saying that boycott is not a practical means. Only when democratic force enters the parliaments then it can emit the democratic voice and gradually attain the objective of democracy that people demand.

Viewed from the election's initial status, as a whole, voters from different parts of Myanmar seemed enthusiastic with the higher-than-estimated turnout.

Analysts said that the opposition force's boycott acts were not successful. The electorates finally chose to cooperate, expressing their desire for change.

Some voters, who are intellectuals, told Xinhua at polling stations that no matter the government will mobilize or not, they are willing to cast votes by exercising their right, which is a step forward to democracy. The election is a milestone for the military government to change into a civilian one.

At polling stations in Nay Pyi Taw, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDA), led by the incumbent Prime Minister U Thein Sein, won more votes. The situation was the same at other polling stations such as in Yangon and Taunggyi where votes were counted earlier.

Myanmar's Union Election Commission Sunday announced the first batch of 57 candidates as being elected as parliamentary representatives spread among three levels of parliaments, the state radio and television reported in a night broadcast hours after the country's multi-party general election ended in the afternoon on the day.

The 57 elected parliament representatives include 55 from 55 constituencies where there is only a single candidate each running for the election, while the remaining two won the seats.

Of the 57 elected parliament representatives, 12 are house of representatives, 8 are house of nationalities and 37 are region or state representatives.

The elected house of representatives include U Soe Thein, Minister of Industry-2 and U Maung Maung Swe, Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, while the region or state parliament representatives include U Thein Aung, Minister of Forestry, and U Nyan Win, Foreign Minister.

Of the 57 elected parliament representatives, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) accounted for 41, while the rest are shared by Pa-Oh National Organization, Kayin State Democracy and Development Party, Taaung (Palaung) National Party and Wa National Unity Party.

The present election was held according to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution-2008 approved through a national referendum. Ninety days after the election, the union parliament will call its first session to elect president, vice presidents and then form a new government to which the power is to be transferred from the military government.

The union election commission announced earlier that the election this time was run by 37 political parties with more than 3,000 candidates and 82 independents for over 1,000 seats of house of representatives and house of nationalities as well as region or state parliament.

Candidates in terms of the most number fielded for contesting in the election went to USDA and the National Unity Party (NUP) with more than 1,100 and nearly 1,000 respectively.

Source: Xinhua