respective parties in the 2015 general elections.
Political parties are required to submit the list of their representatives by May, in order to run in the elections.
“In regards to the representatives’ qualifications, our party has 18 points. Mainly, the representatives must be party members, and they also must keep the party’s policy as most important. They must be local residents of an area which also must be their birthplace. In
addition, they must be recommended by a township-level party. If [all] young people and female representatives have the adequate qualifications, we will give them priority to take part in the
elections,” said Nai Layih Tamarh, MNP’s General Secretary.
Nai Lahyi Tamarh continued to state that he hoped female members of MNP’s central committee would participate in the elections. However, he did not know exactly who would participate since they had not provided their applications for election participation yet.
“We have already made decisions at our party central committee meeting. We already informed our township party offices that youths and women would be given priority to be representatives when the party offices submit the list of representatives,” Nai San Tin, Joint Secretary (1) of AMDP.
Nai San Tin said he estimated that five female members from AMDP would contest in the elections, and that the delegates must be the party members and Mon nationals. Amongst the qualifications there is a requirement to excel in writing and speaking Mon, whilst meeting qualifications stated in the constitution.
“For a constituency that cannot compete, members of Federal Union Party (FUP) will compete instead. We have already negotiated with the FUP,” said Nai San Tin.
For the 2015 elections, MNP prepared about 66 representatives to compete in ten townships across Mon State and other areas in Karen State and Tenasserim Division, while AMDP prepared 45 representatives to compete in seven townships, throughout Mon State, and other areas in Karen State and Tenasserim Division.
AMDP contested the 2010 general elections; however, the MNP were absent.
