Myanmar parties begin election campaigning

Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) (Source: asiancorrespondent.com)

Political parties in Myanmar began election campaigns on September 8 for the general election to take place on November 11.

Under the arrangement of the Union Election Committee (UEC), the Mro National Development Party (MNDP), the National Unity Party (NUP) and the Lahu National Development Party (LNDP) are the first parties to present their policies, viewpoints and goals on state radio and television stations.

The UEC stipulated each party will alternately present on radio and television stations two times, each lasting 15 minutes, until November 6. Parties have to submit registration applications seven days before campaigning.

On the same day, the Union Daily, a newspaper of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), resumed operation after a one-month suspension while the USDP reformed its central executive committee (CEC).

In a message kicking off the election campaigning, Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), said the upcoming general election would be an important turning point for Myanmar, giving the local people opportunities to create real political changes.

She hoped the election would be held freely and fairly and the result would be respected by all relevant parties.

The election will elect members of the Assembly of the Union to a new government for a five-year term beginning in 2016.

According to the list of candidates released by the UEC, of 6,189 candidates, 323 are independent and 5,866 are nominated by 92 parties.

The UEC set up 1,171 election units throughout the country, including 330 for the House of Representatives, 168 units for the House of Nationalities, 644 for the region or state parliaments and 29 for national ethnic group representatives.-VNA