The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) may achieve good results in the 2020 election if the party can change its relations with ethnics, said Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD’s Central Information Committee, at the round-table talk titled “Repercussion of the 2018 by-election” at Orchid Hotel in Yangon on November 25.

Yangon Region Rakhine Ethnic Affairs Minister Zaw Aye Maung, Monywa Aung Shin, Chair of the New National Democracy Party  Thein Nyunt, Chair of Chin National League for Democracy Zo Zan, spokesperson of the Union Solidarity and Development Party Dr. Nandar Hla Myint and political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein participated in the talk. Htay Aung served as the moderator.

“The result of the 2018 by-election is a warning bell to our party. The people and those who support the NLD worried over the outcome but worry alone will not produce any results. We need to think about the ways on how to make reforms, how to learn our lessons and implement changes. We will find answers only when we first find the solutions to our losses,” said Monywa Aung Shin.

“We found that the party needs reforming. The party, the government and parliament should be balanced. The balancing act of three pillars is of great importance. It is crucial that these three pillars are identical. I estimate that the recent results are linked to the weaknesses of the three pillars. So we need to think about how to reform them,” he continued.

“Since 1990, the NLD has had good relations with ethnics. In the time of the 1990 election, a coalition called the UNLD emerged. There was the issuance of Bo Aung Kyaw street declaration. There was the CRPP. Beyond 2012, the NLD’s relations with ethnics have gone downhill. According to my knowledge, the relations between an alliance should not be stagnant. I believe that the party will pay attention to my remark.

We must pay heed to three points—ethnic parties, ethnic people and their CSOs and NGOs. Thanks to it, the party would be able to obtain better results in the 2020 elections,” said the NLD Secretary for Central Information Committee.

Yangon Region Rakhine Ethnic Affairs Minister Zaw Aye Maung also said that the NLD needs to pay attention to ethnic parties.