Suu Kyi under pressure to delay election

NAYPYITAW • Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure to delay the November general election as a resurgence in coronavirus cases has resulted in a strict lockdown across parts of the nation.

Opposition parties led by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party wrote to the Union Election Commission this week to demand the Nov 8 polls be postponed because of a jump in infections.

The opposition is concerned that campaign rallies and other activities may fuel more infections and many eligible voters may not be able to cast their ballots.

"We have witnessed that supporters of respective parties unconsciously fail to follow social distancing measures and standard operating procedures in election campaigns," about two dozen opposition parties said in the letter. "We foresee unexpected mass gatherings due to supporters' enthusiasm."

The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) still favours going to vote on schedule, with Ms Suu Kyi saying the outbreak can be contained with strict social distancing curbs.

A second wave of virus infections hit the nation of 54 million people last month, forcing the authorities to bring back stay-home orders in commercial hub Yangon and Rakhine state, and ban domestic travel nationwide.

While the country managed to keep total infections to about 400 until the middle of last month, a sharp jump since then has resulted in 4,299 infections and 61 deaths as at yesterday, official data shows.

The NLD, seen as the front runner, has said a delay in holding the vote can lead to political instability as the Constitution does not permit a delay of more than two months.

The latest outbreak can be controlled in the next few weeks to allow for voting in November, said Mr Myo Nyunt, a member of the party's central executive committee.

Remote video URL

"Myanmar has tightened the rules and imposed partial lockdown on the townships where the virus was detected the most," Mr Myo Nyunt said. "This will result in containment of the virus spread in the next few weeks."

The near-shutdown of Myanmar's Yangon region and Rakhine state, as well as lower election spending amid social distancing measures, threatens the impoverished country's forecast for economic recovery next year.

The resurgence in cases "spells more trouble for the Myanmar economy over the coming months with economic weakness likely to persist into 2021", Fitch Solutions said in a report this week.

BLOOMBERG

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 19, 2020, with the headline Suu Kyi under pressure to delay election. Subscribe