Malaysian Team Ready To Observe Myanmar Elections

From Leslean Arshad YANGON, March 31 (Bernama) -- Members of a Malaysian delegation are all set to roll up their sleeves and get down to the task of being part of a host of international observers of Sunday's by-elections in reform-pursuing Myanmar. The team comprises two members of parliament, an Election Commission official, three officials from the Malaysian embassy in Myanmar and personnel from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). They will observe the polls being held to fill 45 seats vacated by lawmakers who have been appointed to fill posts of ministers and other executive positions in the Union Government. Malaysian Ambassador to Myanmar Dr Ahmad Faisal Muhamad, who is one of the observers, said preparations have been made to travel to the identified constituencies on Sunday. "We are ready to go down to the ground for this job," he said. The Malaysian team held meetings and briefings on Friday in preparation for the task. Some the constituencies it will visit are in the Hlegu and Minglataungnyunt regions in Yangon. Myanmar has invited its fellow Asean members, including Malaysia, as well as other countries to observe the by-elections, which are an indicator of Myanmar's progress in the area of reforms. After six decades of military rule, Myanmar is fast moving towards greater democratisation under President U Thein Sein. Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwi held a briefing on the polls for more than 100 invited observers and diplomats on Thursday in Yangon and reportedly told them that they could travel to constituencies of their choice to witness the by-elections. The polls could herald the return of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to politics. Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), is contesting a seat near Yangon. -- BERNAMA