Casting a majority of votes for the political party capable of forming a government means going back to the single party dictatorship and this is an undemocratic election campaign, said People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) chairperson Dr Thet Thet Khaing. 

She held a press conference at her party office in Mayangon Township, Yangon, on November 4 to clarify the ongoing situations in Myanmar’s advance voting process. She made such a remark in response to the media question. 

“If we give a majority of votes to the party with capability to form a government, then it means we are returning to the single party dictatorship. I assume that this is a means of canvassing for votes that is contrary to democracy,” she commented. 

Myanmar is practising multi-party democracy and opposition is the essence of democracy, she said giving an example of socialism the country  practised in the era of Burma Socialist Programme Party that lasted 26 years despite no benefit for the State and the people. She blamed it for the lack of opposition.  

“Actually, they should have said something like this. Their government has done these things over the past five years. They have made these election pledges and they could have done these things. Then they should call on the people to vote for them so that they can continue their work. They must tell what they will continue to do for the next five years. This is a social contact between the government and the people. But instead they said people should vote for them because they are able to form a government. This is a U-turn or backsliding. Our party does not like it,” said Dr Thet Thet Khaing. 

She stressed the importance of national reconciliation and unity under current political circumstances. Internal armed conflict has weakened the rights for ethnic minorities, she said, expressing her hope for ethnic parties to win the election.