Dr. Sai Kham Leng (63), a Union Election Commissioner who “resigned” to contest in Shan State South for the military regime-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) was unable to fulfill the wish of his party, local sources said.

“He lost the seat to his Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) rival Sai Mon,” a source said.

Dr. Sai Kham Leng was one of the 17 appointed members of Burma’s Union Election Commission (UEC). But in the middle of August, he was asked by the USDP to resign from his position and contest for a seat in the state legislature in Kunhing township Constituency No. 1 for the party.

Rumours in circulation in Rangoon say he was slated to be appointed as Chief Minister of Shan State Government.

Sai Aung Min (55) the owner of Min Shwe Zin Ice factory in Taunggyi was quietly appointed to succeed him as an EC member.

There has been no official statement from the UEC about his resignation and the new appointment to date. According to the junta-drawn 2008 constitution, to appoint a Chief Minister of a Region or State concerned, he/she must be selected from the State Legislature. In addition, the constitution also states that UEC members shall not be members of a political party and shall not be Parliamentary representative.

Khun Okker, an executive board member of Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC) also said that the UEC members must be independent and shall not be a member of any political party. And the UEC Chairman shall make an official announcement if there are changes in UEC members.

“If some UEC members resign or intend to participate in the elections without announcement by the UEC Chairman, it means the rules are being broken,” Khun Okker told SHAN in September.

Dr. Sai Kham Leng is a retired Head of State Health Department. He is a Shan national from Kenglom village in Kunhing Township and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Rangoon. He is also a cousin of Dr. Sai Naw, a candidate of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) and is an uncle of Nang Wa Nu, the SNDP Kunhing candidate who was elected as a member of the People’s Assembly.

“It appears Dr Sai Mawk Kham (who was elected in Lashio) will be our chief minister, now that Dr Sai Kham Leng has lost,” said an informed Shan businessman in Taunggyi.