San Maung Than — During a Monday afternoon campaign rally in Arakan State’s capital Sittwe, the National League for Democracy (NLD) patron U Tin Oo said that Arakan and Myanmar are the same coin.
He arrived in Sittwe on Monday afternoon and held the campaign rally at the Ariyan Hall at 2:30 pm.
“The Arakan people have been living with self-rule. The NLD aims for the development of the Arakan State with this trip,” said U Tin Oo.
When a member of the audience raised a question on whether or not the election would be free and fair, U Tin Oo said “this election will be held under the 2008 Constitution. The military takes up 25 percent [of seats in parliament] without being elected. Something can be done due to Section 436 [of the constitution]. We can estimate whether it would be fair or not.”
U Tin Oo also said that in the previous parliamentary democracy era, separate commissions were responsible to scrutinize the voter list, hold the election, and scrutinize the election. All of these commissions worked together. However, only one commission has been formed for the 2015 Election and it has been taking responsibility for everything so the public should decide whether or not it will be a free and fair election.
During the rally, comedians Bay Lu Wa and Myittar spoke to the crowd about why they have been supporting the NLD.
“The NLD is indivisible with the public. It is unbiased. Out of 90 parties running in the election, the NLD is the only party can properly form a government. That’s why I’m supporting it,” said Bay Lu Wa.
During the campaign rally, candidates running in Sittwe, Pauktaw, Minbya, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung were introduced to the public.
Over 200 people attended the campaign rally.
