Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman ordered Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) members of Maungdaw Township yesterday in a meeting to begin campaigning for the forthcoming 2010 elections, said a participant on condition of anonymity.

The TPDC Chairman held a meeting yesterday in Maungdaw Town having invited all VPDC Chairmen and Secretaries of Maungdaw Township.  The meeting started at around 1 pm and concluded at about 2 pm.

During the meeting, the Chairman said that, last month, Lt. General Khin Zaw of the Defense Ministry from Naypyidaw visited Arakan State and directed the concerned authorities to campaign for the 2010 election. As a result, The TPDC Chairman reminded all the VPDC Chairmen and Secretaries to campaign for the poll starting now, said another participant at the meeting.

The Chairman added, in the referendum in 2008 for the national constitution, the government got less “Yes Votes” from Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships compared to other townships in Arakan State.  So, it is very important that such a situation does not arise again in the 2010 elections.

Therefore, the authorities across the country will need to campaign for the forthcoming elections from now, the director added.

In the 1990 elections, government was defeated in the election because of lack of election campaigns. So, the government learnt a big lesson from it, the Chairman added.