Mai Kaung Saing — For the upcoming election, twenty-seven candidates from the Ta’ang National Party (TNP) are running in seven townships in Shan State and Mogok Township in the Mandalay Region. BNI Election Newsroom contacted Nan Htwe Nge; a female TNP candidate contesting the Kyaukme Township.
Q: Please introduce yourself and the constituency you are running in.
A: My name is Nan Htwe Nge. I’m running for the State Parliament for Kyaukme Township’s Constituency No 2.
Q: What kind of difficulties have you faced as a female candidate running in Kyaukme as a TNP’s Candidate?
A: Security was okay for campaigning in the villages. There was no little need to worry as we didn’t encounter any disturbances. As I’m a woman, I was a little afraid to ride the motorcycle to the villages; the roads were slippery after it rained.
Some of the other parties have more finances and can show this during their campaigning. The Ta’ang party is based on good-will so we have to focus on canvassing to get our votes. The other parties give CDs and hats as gifts. They explained how to vote using projectors. This is just was one of the methods to get residents interested.
The phone lines aren’t bad when we travel to the villages, but we experienced difficulties calling villages from our home. Also, we had difficulties appointing party agents. Some people told us that they will work as our party agents but when we went to other villages or by the time we returned home, they told us they couldn’t.
Q: Have you encountered personal attacks between parties while campaigning in the villages?
A: No, up till now I haven’t (Oct. 30). I try my best to be careful what I say.
Q: What is the reaction of the local residents when you campaign in the villages?
A: The villagers welcomed us. They don’t discriminate between men or women. But most of the residents from the hilly region in Kyaukme don’t understand politics that much so this is a real challenge for our party.
Residents know that they have the duty to welcome all parties that visit them, and that they are free to vote for any party of their choice. A parliamentary representative is a spokesperson who can deliver the public’s voice.
Q: What else do you want to say to residents regarding the election?
A: There are many things I still don’t know how to do, but believe I will learn during my work. What I would like to say is that there’s no reason why the Ta’ang Party can’t win if all Ta’ang people vote for the Ta’ang party bearing the green tea leaf logo. Before casting their ballots, I would like to tell them to think carefully about whether or not the candidates they vote for will be able to contribute to their wellbeing.
