Malaysian Observers Get To Be Part Of Historic Myanmar Election

From Leslean Arshad YANGON (Myanmar), April 2 (Bernama) -- Members of a Malaysian delegation of observers travelling to various polling centres across Yangon on Sunday got to be part of reform-pursuing Myanmar's historic election as voters went to the polls today. The observers visited seven polling stations in three constituencies of Hlega, Mayangon and Mingala Taungnyunt to observe the voting process. The delegation began their journey of about an hour by road, heading to the outskirts of Yangon to observe the voting process at the Hlegu constituency. The 150,000 eligible registered voters for the Hlegu parliamentary seat cast their votes at 120 polling stations. The Hlegu seat was a contest between the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and National League for Democracy (NLD). The Malaysia observers made up of two Members of Parliament, an Election Commission official, three officials from the Malaysian Embassy in Myanmar, a representative from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). The Malaysian observers later made a stopover at Mayangon township to observe the voting process in the constituency where Ei Ei Myo, a NLD representative stationed at the polling station located at a fire station in the Mayangon constituency, said there were no complaints during the voting process. Ei said she had faith in UEC to conduct the election professionally. The Malaysian delegate then visited Mingala Taungnyunt township and observed three polling stations in the constituency, including one located at a mosque compound and one in a restaurant. The polling station at the compound of the Chattigoneneia mosque recorded a 70 percent turnout from the 1,650 eligible voters by 11.30am. Silam member of parliament Salleh Kalbi, one of the Malaysian observers, said that the huge turnout reflected the enthusiasm of the Myanmar people to participate in the election. Another Malaysian observer, Kulim-Bandar Baharu member of parliament Zulkifli Noordin said he was impressed with the accessibility to voters in terms of polling stations and they could cast their votes in a very relaxed environment. "The people exercising their rights to vote, no element of intimidation and harassment," he said. --BERNAMA