The election is centered on the people of Myanmar, and what matters is that the people are able to vote; whether the international community is satisfied or dissatisfied is not important, and those who wish to criticize are free to do so, said Major General Zaw Min Tun, head of the Information Team of the National Defence and Security Council.

Major General Zaw Min Tun made the remarks while responding to a question from Japan’s NHK at a press briefing on the government’s national campaign to eradicate online scams. He rejected international criticism that the election is being forced or lacks fairness, stressing that the process is being carried out for Myanmar and its people, not to gain international approval.

He said the election is aimed at restoring a multi-party democratic system and building a federal union based on democracy. While acknowledging that some people may oppose the election, he claimed that those who support it are in the majority and insisted that no one is being coerced into voting.

On the issue of fairness, he said elections should be assessed by examining the pre-election period, the voting process, and the post-election phase, arguing that judgments made before these stages are completed are not reasonable or fair.

The election will be held in three phases starting on December 28. The date for the third phase will be announced soon and is expected to take place after January 20, 2026.