As Myanmar’s military regime continues its preparations for an election in December that it claims will revive the political process, the chairman of the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party, Sai Aik Pao, has expressed its readiness to participate in the election
Speaking at the opening of the party’s headquarters in Yangon on Sunday, Sai Aik Pao stated that his party hopes to be elected in the upcoming election. “A civilian government will not emerge if an election does not take place. [Opposing the poll] means allowing the Tatmadaw [Myanmar’s military] to continue its rule.”
Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has stated that the election will be held in December, though the exact date has not yet been confirmed.
Western countries, the civilian National Unity Government, other anti-regime groups and most Myanmar people say any election would be a sham designed to maintain the regime’s grip on power.
But Sai Aik Pao said he is confident that the military regime would transfer power to the winning party because it has officially declared to the world that it would do so.
“If the election does not take place, a civilian government will not emerge, and the military will continue governing,” he said.
Regarding concerns about voter turnout, he said the planned poll could be considered successful even if only one person cast a vote.
According to Myanmar’s election laws, there is no minimum voter turnout requirement, meaning the election result would still be recognized even if only one person voted.
“There is no legal provision about the least number of voters needed for the poll to succeed. So, even if one person casts a vote in a constituency, the vote is valid. So, I would like to request the voters to vote for the party they like,” he said.
The Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP)—previously known as the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and better known to voters as the “white tiger party”, is one of the two major ethnic Shan parties.
The party was formed ahead of the 2010 general election held by the previous regime, after a Sai Aik Pao-led faction split from the Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD) led by Khun Tun Oo. Sai Aik Pao contested the poll but Khun Tun Oo’s SNLD boycotted it. The SNDP only won a few seats in the 2015 and 2020 general elections.
Currently, the party has over 130 branches across Myanmar, including in over 30 townships in Yangon, 26 in Ayeyarwady, 27 in Bago, over 10 each in Mandalay and Magwe, three in Kachin, and over 20 in Shan State. The party claims to have over 400,000 members.
Political parties are actively preparing to participate in the junta’s proposed poll amid ongoing armed conflicts across the country including daily airstrikes by the regime. Recently, Daw Thet Thet Khaing’s People’s Pioneer Party held a press briefing about her plans for the poll, and U Ko Ko Gyi’s People’s Party inaugurated a new office.
The military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), currently the biggest party in Myanmar, has also announced its readiness for the December poll.
As of May 16, the junta’s election commission has approved 54 political parties, with nine competing nationwide and 45 contesting only in certain states and regions. Among the nine parties that are contesting nationwide are the USDP, National Unity Party, SNDP and People’s Pioneer Party.
The National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a majority of seats in the 2020 general election, was dissolved by the regime after it failed to re-register with the junta’s election body. The SNLD was also dissolved.
The regime has lost large swathes of territory in ethnic states as well as in central Myanmar, and has recently escalated its aerial attacks on resistance-held territories, killing hundreds of civilians.
Current Association of Southeast Asian Nations chair Malaysia has urged the junta to work on halting its violence instead of conducting elections, while Min Aung Hlaing has claimed China, Russia and other international allies fully support the election.
