SAC Chairman: State Administration Council Meeting

Chairman of the State Administration Council, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing held meeting with the SAC members in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday.

The Senior General clarified that the State of Emergency would not happen if necessary measures were conducted with discipline before, during and after holding the elections. As the Tatmadaw has openly declared that they take action according to the law.

For the emergence of multi-party democracy general elections, peace and stability is vital for politics and security. Political stability and maturity depends on peace and stability so that systematic political culture needs to check and balance different political views. Democracy means following the desire of majority.

However, it could not be defined as genuine democracy. To flash back the history, Myanmar experienced successive periods of the Parliament Democracy, the Revolution Council, the Burma Socialist Programme Party and the Tatmadaw Government. The Tatmadaw Government implemented multi-party democracy system that the people aspired for.

According to the State Constitution, the State duties were transferred to the elected party in 2011. Based on pragmatic situation of the nation, multi-party democracy would be flourished side by side with the peace, security and political security. Regarding the election, the Senior General stated that holding free and fair elections is the essence according to the people's desire. Previous 2010 and 2015 elections and bi-elections were held and a few problems and complaints were raised and solved fairly.

At the 3rd elections from the pre-election campaign period, during and post-election period, huge problems raised. For 2015 elections, only 70% of eligible voters cast their votes. People were not satisfied with the performance of elected government and conducted No Vote movement.

For the election of Yangon City Development Committee, only 14%  of Yangon Region cast their votes so that the elected candidate did not receive full support. For 2020 elections, the Senior General supported the proposal that the Tatmadaw personnel should cast their votes freely  along with the public.

However, there were problems relating the advanced votes which were against the law, with the excuse of COVID-19. With the assistance of better communication technology,  the voters list could be traced so that the Union Election Commission was asked to give explanation.

The UEC kept silent and issued statement which was unacceptable so that the Senior General directly sent the letter to the Parliament for holding a special meeting but it was refused. At last, the Senior Gewneral officially submitted the President for holding the National Defence and Security Council meeting but it was not recognized. After holding a talk with the government representative, there was no response.

He then sent official letter to the President for holding the national security meeting and it was responded that the President and the Parliament didn't have the right for decision-making and it was directly concerned with the UEC.

According to Section-40 (B) and Section-417 of the State Constitution, it was assumed attempts of sovereign power by wrongful forcible means.The Senior General then stressed his mission to reveal correct voting result of 2020 general elections, COVID-19 vaccine programs in transparent manner, economic recovery plan due to the global pandemic while inviting foreign investments and promoting trade, and strengthening peace process with the NCA signatories and non-signatories.

Next, members of the State Administration Council also took part in the discussion  regarding the formation of political parties, the ward/ village administration councils, amnesty for political prisoners, more assistance for the IDP camps, and some cancelled areas for holding elections in Rakhine State.  The meeting then ended with closing remarks by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.