Hong Dein, IMNA : Former Ministry of Mining Lieutenant Colonel Ohm Myint, who will compete for the State Hluttaw (a parliamentary position) in Mudon Township, ordered a list collection villagers voting for the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
U Ohm Myint, the USDP candidate for Mudon Township State Hluttaw 1, ordered a collection of lists that detail the number of people within families, who are over 18 years of age, and will vote for the USDP.
A USDP member from Mudon reported, “[We] got a lot of lists. There were about 50,000 out of a population of 100,000 that will vote for the party.”
USDP has already collected these voting lists from Thanphyuzayart, and Moulmein Townships and have collected from Tapathon village, Naing Pying, Kaw kapone, Kawone, Kamawet, Kalorthot, Doe mar, and Kwan Hlar village in Mudon Township. USDP is in the process of collecting from the remaining villages from Mudon Township, a USDP member said.
In Tapathon village, however, USDP not only collected the voting lists, but signatures (making the list similar to a contract) as well. A Tapathon villager responded to the signature collection by saying that “[we] will vote however we like, no matter what they collected.” Many villagers appear unphased by the campaign.
The USDP candidates, who are also of Mon ethnicity, have professed to the villagers that they will look after the Mon people if they win during the election, one Tapathon village reports. When they campaigned, local residents organized the campaign for these Mon party members.
The Mon candidates are as follows: U Ohm Myint, the former Ministry of Mining, State Hluttaw at Mudon Township constituency No-1; Former Colonel Military Attache, U Kyi Tun for State Hluttaw constituency No-2 U Kyi Tun ; for the Pyithu Hluttaw, U Mya Thein, vice rector of Moulmein (Mawlamyine) University; and Amyotha Hluttaw constituency No-6, Dr Hla Thein. These four candidates are among the 45 USDP candidates in Mon State.
The USDP claims that it will provide services to the people by ruling the country peacefully, carrying out peace and development, revering government’s three main duties: to look after Burma’s nationality, custom and religion, maintaining literature and culture, providing water and electricity, and upholding self-reliance so as not be used as a tool by other countries.
