RANGOON — The Myanmar Police Force (MPF) is seeking to recruit more than 20,000 special police officers to bolster security at polling stations nationwide during the forthcoming general election scheduled for Nov. 8.
The MPF is currently recruiting candidates for the special election squad in wards and villages nationwide.
“We are recruiting for the short-tem, for the election period, since we do not have enough policemen under the existing organizational structure designed by the [Home Affairs] Ministry,” said Police Col. Maung Soe from the MPF.
“We will give them training first. We will use them for security at polling stations. For the time being, we plan to outfit them with the same police uniform.”
In Dawei, Tenasserim Division, the township police force has explained the elections recruitment drive to ward and village administrators and recruitment has begun, but so far no one has applied for the post.
Local authorities are seeking 50 election police officers to post at Dawei’s 10 polling stations.
Job advertisements for the special election police are being posted at respective township General Administration Department offices. Those who are selected to serve on the special police force will be deployed from October to December and are entitled to a basic salary of 120,000 kyats (US$100) per month plus a daily allowance of 1,000 kyats.
Men from age 18 to 60 who are physically fit and are not “too short” nor “too fat” are eligible to apply. Apart from the physical requirements, applicants must have the trust of concerned ward residents and self-confidence, and cannot be involved in party politics.
Tun Kyaw Maung reported from Dawei.
