UEC, election observers discuss final report for 2018 byelections

The final report of the 2018 byelections was presented and put up for discussion at Park Royal Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. The report was compiled by the People’s Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE) and Phan Tee Eain (Creative Home).

Union Election Commission Chairman U Hla Thein spoke at the seminar and said the UEC began permitting local and foreign election observers since the 2015 General Elections. He said the observers were also given permission in the 2017 and 2018 byelections and code of conduct and procedures for observers were published. He said PACE has been observing elections in Myanmar since the 2015 General Elections.

UEC upheld the five norms of free, fair, transparent, credible and reflecting the will of the people during the 2017 and 2018 byelections, said U Hla Thein, adding that they will continue to do so in the 2020 General Elections. He said election observers will continue to be invited to ensure the elections are transparent and free from corruption. He said they take the reports from election observers seriously and will take them into consideration for improving the electoral process where applicable.

Afterwards, PACE Executive Director U Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint explained the observation process for the 2018 byelections, the methods used and the results discovered. The UEC Chairman, members and officials from the UEC office replied to the discussion in kind.

MNA
(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
Photo; MNA
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar