Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Tatmadaw True News Information Team
Myanmar Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has said although he used to talk in the 2015 election about acceptance of the election results as soon as the Election Commission announces a free and fair election, he had to issue a warning as the time of caution has come now.
The military chief made the comment during an interview with the Popular News Journal on November 3. He was asked about the statement on the military’s stance on the election issued by the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services issued on November 2.
“When I was casting my vote in the 2015 general election, I was asked in an interview. I said the commission will have election results if the election is free and fair. Then I must accept that. I used to talk about this. But now the time has come for us to stay alert. We have to take care. I don’t want that to happen. It’s just a warning,” said Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
The constitution states that the military is responsible for protecting the state as well as the constitution. Thus, the warning of the military is in conformity with the law, he added.
He said the country is on the path to democracy in line with its constitution while the country itself is built with this constitution. Therefore, the military is responsible for saying this, he said.
He also questioned if anyone else talks about this unless the military does so.
“The international community is also criticising us. Our country must have its dignity. It cannot be harmed. This is why I said so. I rarely say so. I warn this as I don’t want that to happen. It is the government that will take responsibility,” the military chief commented.
As election is crucial in democracy, election must be systematic and disciplined and otherwise, stable democracy cannot be achieved, he said.
In the military’s statement issued on November 2, it claimed that the Union Election Commission, along with the Union government, had been unable to hold a free and fair general election.
ELEVEN MEDIA (Myanmar)/Asia News Network
