Township residents plan protest over new electoral system
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About 500 residents of Yangon's Shwepyithar Township are planning to protest on October 26 against the move to introduce a proportional representation (PR) electoral system ahead of the next general election, protest organiser Ko Thu Zaw Kyi Win said.
The township is the constituency represented by MP Tin Maung Oo, who chairs a commission investigating electoral systems that will be suitable for Myanmar for the general election expected to occur late next year.
Ko Thu Zaw Kyi Win described attempts to introduce a new electoral system as “dictatorial”, saying the public was not being consulted. Those in favour of the system have already prepared to introduce it, he said.
“We are dissatisfied that they are behaving like dictators in Parliament. They submitted the proposal to introduce a PR system without seeking any input from the public. They themselves approved it and formed a committee. That’s why we are trying to stage a protest against it,” Ko Thu Zaw Kyi Win said.
The protesters are also calling for the dismantling of the two commissions they say are spearheading the drive to introduce the system, which will replace the current system in which only the candidate who wins the most votes in a constituency is elected to Parliament. The new system is widely viewed as an attempt by the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party to prevent a massive loss of seats to opposition parties – to the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the country’s seven regions and ethnic political parties in the country’s seven states.
Countries that have proportional representation systems do not have Parliaments where 25 per cent of the seats are allocated to military appointees, Ko Thu Zaw Kyi Win pointed out. He said he agreed with NLD chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi that such a system would narrow room for debate.
Protest organisers say they have already received verbal permission from township police to hold the protest, but have not received written permission. They may run into difficulties if they distribute pamphlets ahead of the protest, they said. Township police have also told them they need to get approval from the municipal committee one week before the protest to set up posters.
On September 28, political activists and 400 residents of Pazundaung Township rallied against MP Aung Zin who submitted the proposal to Parliament to introduce the controversial PR electoral system.
