Saturday, November 3, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

NLD Poised to Win 8 of 13 By-Election Races

Posted: 03 Nov 2018 09:23 AM PDT

YANGON—The National League for Democracy (NLD) had won five of the 13 constituencies up for grabs in Saturday's by-election and was leading in another three as of 9 p.m. In another five seats, however, it was facing possible defeat to the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—its main rival—and the ethnic political parties.

As of 9 p.m. Saturday, the ruling party had won five constituencies in Yangon, Mandalay, Magwe and Bago regions and was ahead in three areas in Chin and Kachin states and in Mandalay Region.

The main opposition USDP had won just two seats—in Seikkan Township in Yangon and Tamu in Sagaing Region.

The newly elected lawmaker for Seikkan Township, the USDP's U Nay Myo Aung, told The Irrawaddy upon winning that he had "now regained the people's trust." He was elected as a Yangon regional lawmaker in 2010, but lost to the NLD in the 2015 general election.

In northern Rakhine State's Rathedaung Township, a local ethnic independent candidate beat the NLD and two local parties, the Arakan League for Democracy and the Arakan National Party.

Votes were still being counted in the Upper House race in Myitkyina's constituency No. 2, which was being contested by the NLD, USDP and Kachin Democratic Party.

The NLD was ahead in the race for the Shan ethnic affairs minister's post in Mandalay Region, which was also being contested by the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the USDP and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party.

Of the four Lower House seats up for grabs, the NLD won two: one in Myingyan in Mandalay Region and the other in Yangon's Tamwe. Preliminary results showed that the SNLD had won in Lechar (Laihka) in Shan State, with 76 percent of the votes counted as of Saturday evening. The NLD and the Chin National Democratic Party were vying for the other Lower House seat, in Chin State's Kanpetlet constituency.

Of the seven state and regional parliament seats being contested, the USDP won two, in Tamu constituency No. 2 in Sagaing Region and Seikkan constituency No. 2 in Yangon. The Chin League for Democracy (CLD) won in Matupi constituency No. 1 and independent candidate U Tin Maung Win, the son of the detained Rakhine MP Dr. Aye Maung, won in Rathedaung constituency No. 2.

The NLD won in Thabeikkyin constituency No. 1 in Mandalay Region, Minbu constituency No. 2 in Magwe region and Oaktwin constituency No. 1 in Bago region.

According to the Union Election Commission, the official results for Saturday's polls will be announced by Sunday.

The Irrawaddy reporters Nyein Nyein in Chiang Mai, Zarni Mann in Mandalay and San Yamin Aung in Yangon contributed to this report. 

The post NLD Poised to Win 8 of 13 By-Election Races appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Early Hours of By-Election See Modest Voter Turnout

Posted: 02 Nov 2018 11:00 PM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar’s second by-elections under the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) officially began when the doors to polling stations in eight of the country’s 14 regions and states opened to voters on Saturday at 6 a.m.

The results will not impact the structure of the current government, but they will serve as an important indicator of the level of support for the parties ahead of the 2020 general elections.

For the NLD, which won a landslide victory in the 2012 by-elections under the previous administration as well as the 2015 general elections, Saturday’s polls are a test of whether they remain just as popular. More than two years after taking power, and half way through its term, the government led by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has come under growing criticism for a lack of progress on economic reforms, backsliding on freedom of expression and generally falling short on its election promises, though it has received praise for its stepped-up fight against corruption.

During the last by-elections in April 2017, the NLD won only nine of 19 vacant seats — only 50 percent of those it contested — and lost in three of the four ethnic minority areas it challenged, including in areas it won in 2015.

Saturday’s polls are being held to fill 13 vacant seats in Union, state and regional parliaments. There are 62 candidates from 24 parties — including those from the NLD and its main opposition, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) — and seven independents.

The NLD is contesting all 13 races, while the military-backed USDP, which ran the previous government, is contesting 10. Among the seats the ruling party is challenging are four in ethnic minority areas in Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states where the NLD has relatively little popular support. In 2015 it lost two of them — Lechar in Shan and Rathedaung in Rakhine — to ethnic minority parties.

On Saturday morning, some voters started arriving at polling stations in a steady stream, a contrast to the general elections three years ago, when throngs of people lined up before the stations were even open.

In Moegoke, Mandalay Region, only a few voters had arrived soon after polling stations opened at 6 a.m. The area has 41 stations to accommodate about 15,000 ethnic Shan eligible to vote for a new Shan ethnic affairs minister for the region.

But in Rathedaung, in northern Rakhine, where the NLD is up against an independent and two local Rakhine parties — the Arakan National Party and the Arakan League for Democracy — voter interest appeared stronger. Locals were lined up outside the public school classrooms being used as polling stations.

Arakan League for Democracy candidate U Thein Maung said he was pleased with the turnout.

"They have already decided who they will vote for. It's nice to see them show up and cast their ballots," he said.

In Yangon's Tamwe Township, where President U Win Myint will cast his ballot, some voters spent the morning queued up at the polling station. Assisted by his younger sister, Uncle Charles, 62, who suffers from hemiparesis, made his way out of the station and said he voted for the NLD. Boasting of being a longtime NLD supporter, the retired civil servant said he had also voted for the party in 1990, 2012 and 2015.

"I understand they haven't achieved big things so far due to the constraints of the Constitution. But I vote for them because I believe they are the only ones who will do good for people," he said.

Around mid-morning, US Ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel visited the polling station and said he was happy to see people voting.

“We strongly support Myanmar democracy and we are here to support the election," he said.

Additional reporting by The Irrawaddy’s San Yamin Aung in Yangon, Zarni Mann in Mandalay and Min Aung Khine.

The post Early Hours of By-Election See Modest Voter Turnout appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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