The Arakan National Party (ANP) candidate U Maung Hla Myint has made an objection against U Thein Maung from the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) for submitting an application to the Sittwe District Election Commission to run for a seat in the State Hluttaw from Rathedaung Constituency – 2 in the by-election.
The Sittwe District Election Commission started scrutinizing the people who applied to run in the by-election and approved U Maung Hla Myint from the ANP and independent candidate U Tin Maung Win on July 16.
When the Sittwe District Election Commission scrutinized U Khin Than Maung from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and U Thein Maung from the ALD, it approved U Khin Than Maung, but it was unable to approve U Thein Maung due to an objection from U Maung Hla Myint.
“U Thein Maung is a member of the ANP. He submitted his resignation to the township on the 7th this month (July 7). Rathedaung Township [ANP] chair informed this to the party’s central [office]. The party central [office] instructed that it has temporary postponed U Thein Maung’s resignation. It informed us that it won’t allow him to resign yet since it hasn’t hold its CEC (central executive committee) meeting,” said the ANP candidate U Maung Hla Myint.
Although the Rathedaung ANP chair informed U Thein Maung about the postponement of his resignation on July 8, U Thein Maung submitted his application to represent the ALD on July 9. The Sittwe District Election Commission accepted his application and U Maung Hla Myint objected when his application was being scrutinized on July 17.
“I’m not objecting to U Thein Maung for lacking qualifications as a candidate, but the party has objected to him. It’s against the law for a man to run from another party without receiving permission to resign from the other party. Now, he has become a member of two parties at the same time. We are objecting to it as it is against the law,” U Maung Hla Myint explained.
When Narinjara News contacted U Thein Maung, he said: “According to paragraph 65, a party member can resign out of his own volition, but it is stated that he can only leave after he has cleared up party matters with the central office while he is serving inside the party. U Maung Hla Myint objected to me based on this. I don’t have any matters to clear up with the party. I’m not a member of the CEC or the CC (central committee). I believe I have the right to resign on my own free will as a party member.”
The Sittwe District Election Commission will seek the advice from the Election Commission (Central) on the objection against U Thein Maung and make a decision on July 24.
