Myanmar's SNLD not offered vice president position: general secretary
YANGON - Sai Nyunt Lwin, general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), said on March 7 that the SNLD was offered a cabinet position by the National League for Democracy (NLD) but not a vice president position.
He said the offer was made about two months ago.
“Yes, an offer was made. It’s a cabinet position, not a vice president position. It’s wrong if you say it’s a vice president position. It’s right if you say a cabinet position was offered,” he explained.
He added that the SNLD will send one nominee to the NLD within one or two days and that the nominee will not be an MP.
“The nominee will not be an MP, otherwise, our number of MPs would be reduced. They are already scarce,” he said.
The SNLD won the second largest number of seats in the 1990 elections.
During the 2010 elections, the SNLD decided not to contest as its leaders, including chairman Khum Htun Oo, were in prison.
Khum Htun Oo and other SNLD leaders were released after President Thein Sein’s government took power, allowing the party run candidates in the 2015 elections.
The party also participated in the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP), formed by the NLD and ethnic minority parties after the 1990 elections, and has maintained a good relationship with the NLD since then.
The SNLD secured 12 seats in the Lower House, three seats in the Upper House, 24 seats in the Shan State parliament and one seat in the Kachin State parliament in the 2015 elections.
Aye Tha Aung, who participated in the CRPP, is now the deputy speaker of the Upper House.
According to Upper House MP Min Oo, a seven-member team will be formed to scrutinise vice presidential candidates nominated by the Lower House, Upper House and the Tatmadaw.
The scrutinising team will include the speakers of Lower House and Upper House and one appointee each from the Upper House, Lower House and the Tatmadaw.
“The president and vice presidents will be selected at the Union parliament after the nominees from the three groups are found to be qualified. I have already received a letter for the nomination of a vice president today. On March 10, the Upper House group will carry out the nomination of a vice president in the same manner as the election of the speaker,” Min Oo said.
The Tatmadaw will submit its vice presidential nominee only at the Union parliament as its nominee will be chosen by military authorities rather than elected by the MPs.
On March 10, all MPs will be invited to attend the session as both the Upper House and Lower House will nominate their presidential candidates.
