San Maung Than — “We’re very satisfied with the current status. You can say 90 percent of the last voter list is correct. The remaining percent is due to lack of understanding of the public and difficulties we have faced in collecting the voter list,” U Thurein Htut, an official from the Arakan State Election Sub-commission, told the BNI Election Newsroom.
Q: What’s the latest status of the preparation of polling stations in the Arakan State?
A: There are still some issues left to carry out. They will be 80 percent completed by this evening.
Q: Are there any areas that are difficult for polling station officers to travel to?
A: Yes, there are places that are difficult to travel in Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Minbya, Mrauk U, Myebon, Sittwe, and Pauktaw areas. Villages like Kyaw Kar and Mon Chaung Wa in Minbya need to be travelled two days ahead. There are some difficulties with the travelling. The rest don’t have that much difficulty.
Q: Aren’t there any difficulty in Ann?
A: There aren’t much problems in Ann. Everything is okay.
Q: What kind of difficulties did the Election Commission has to overcome during the preparation period for the election?
A: The difficulty started with the collection of basic voter list. People don’t have Form 66/6 or national registration cards. There were also some difficulties in using the computer for the voter list and also with the software.
Then, we have some difficulties with packing the equipment for the polling stations. They aren’t major difficulties. They were just minor ones. Now, when we have reached the stage of giving advanced votes, many of them don’t understand it that well.
When they don’t understand, we have to educate them. There have been difficulties with the education part.
Q: The Election Commission has worked very hard to hold this 2015 Election. To what extent, are you satisfied with the election preparation?
A: We’re very satisfied with the current status. You can say 90 percent of the last voter list is correct.
The remaining percent is due to lack of understanding of the public and difficulties we have faced in collecting the voter list.
Q: How much satisfaction do you have with the involvement of the parties, civil societies, and the public in election preparation period?
A: There is still some lacking. We still need to educate them more. There are still many things we need to carry out for the knowledge of the civil societies and the parties.
Q: What kind of weaknesses are there in the media coverage of the election. To what extent do the public understand their presentations?
A: We want the media to highlight the weaknesses and give more positive advices. Now, they are only revealing the faults and are weak in giving advices.
Depending on their works, the public began to lack knowledge. If the media were to cooperate in this election process, which is very crucial for the country, and also in the next elections, our country’s image will rise up among the international community.
Q: What do you want to say to the public?
A: Tomorrow is our Election Day. So, they should vote between 6 am and 4 pm. When giving their votes, they shouldn’t pile up before the closing time of the polling station and they should try to vote early in the morning since 6 am. It will be difficult for the polling station staffs to operate if many of them go and vote before the closing hour. That’s why I want to tell them to vote early within the specified time.
