Parlain Region residents welcoming
Dr. Aung Naing Oo (Photo: IMNA)

He made the statement at the conference to celebrate the silver jubilee anniversary of the Parlain Region United Association held at Anndin Village Monastery in Parlain Region, Ye Township, Mon State on 10 November.

Dr Aung Naing Oo was guest of honour at the conference. The organisers said this was because he had won a seat in the 2015 election and had backed the people of Parlain Region when they had objected to the proposed construction of a 1280 megawatt coal-fired power station near Anndin Village by the Toyo Thai Company.

He said: "The Parlain region showed how the unity of residents can prevent powerful people from implementing a potentially negative project. Unity is the core of success. I will work hard to achieve the same sort of unity [between Mon political parties].

He also said that Mon parties had lost votes because they showed a lack of respect to each other and had not negotiated with each other or been at all unified.

He said: "Those Mon who are in politics and who lost many votes said they were representing the Mon people, but as leaders, they were not united."
Thirty five AMDP candidates contested the 8 November elections, but Dr Aung Naing Oo was the only one elected. The Mon National Party (MNP) had 53 candidates, of which three were elected. They were: Dr. Min Soe Linn, Dr. Min Kyi Win and Nai Soiha. The Women’s Party (Mon) had four candidates, but none of them were elected.

In the 2010 elections the AMDP fielded 34 candidates, of which 16 won seats. In the 1990 elections the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), the predecessor of the MNP, fielded 19 candidates, of which five won seats.

About 300 locals and 30 Mon Buddhist Monks from 7 villages across the Parlain Region attended the Parlain Region United Association silver jubilee ceremony, which was combined with a ceremony to honour Dr. Aung Naing Oo.

Reported by Arkar
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI