Ethnic federation dead set again bid to change electoral system
The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation will protest against any attempt to impose a proportional representation system in state parliaments, federation director Chin Chin told Daily Eleven on July 30.
“Proportional representation is not okay for ethnic parties. There is an attempt to bring it to life in the Lower House of Parliament, but we submitted a proposal to object the system to the Union Parliament,” he said.
“We are united in our opposition to the system and we have decided that we will stage protests against it,” he added. The federation represents 20 ethnic parties, which began protesting against the new electoral system in seven ethnic states at the end of June.
Currently, members of Parliament take seats if they win the most votes in the constituency they run in. Under the proportional representation system seats, runners up could also get seats in Parliament. The move to change the electoral system ahead of next year’s general election is opposed by the opposition National League for Democracy and most parties representing ethnic minorities.
Members of ethnic political parties fear they will be further marginalised under the proposed system and that this will damage efforts to ensure national reconciliation, a June 10 statement from the federation said.
Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann met with the representatives of ethnic parties who oppose the new electoral system on June 25.
