HOUSE OF THE WEEK
Expensive house and yard in Insein tsp
SPACE, creature comforts and a wonderful garden are the upshots of this house in the Taw Win housing project, just off Lan Thit Road near the Yangon International Airport. more
Ex-NLD members to form new political party before elections
(Volume 26, No. 522)
FORMER members of the National League for Democracy will form a new political party and apply to register for this year’s election “in the coming weeks”.
The new party will be known as the National Democratic Force and will feature four former members of the NLD’s Central Executive Committee – Dr Than Nyein, U Khin Maung Swe, Dr Win Naing and U Thein Nyunt.
The NLD was officially deregistered on May 7, following the expiration of a 60-day deadline for existing parties to apply to participate in the 2010 general election. Parties that did not apply are now “null and void”, according to Section 26 of the Political Parties Registration Law released in March.
Dr Than Nyein told The Myanmar Times in a telephone interview on May 7 that the National Democ party’s senior core would be comprised of both ex-NLD and new members.
“We expect to register our party in mid-May. We are preparing now,” Dr Than Nyein said. “We formed this party because the NLD has been dissolved.”
He added that the NDF would have no problems meeting an election law requirement that stipulates parties must have at least 1000 members and expected many ex-NLD members would join up.
Dr Than Nyein said it was too early to say how many constituencies the NDF would contest. “But we will form at the national level and aim to contest constituencies across the country,” he said.
Five of the 10 parties that existed under State Law and Order Restoration Council Law 4/88 failed to apply by the May 6 deadline. In addition to the NLD, this group included the Union Karen National League for Democracy and the Shan National League for Democracy.
The Union Election Commission has already passed applications from the National Unity Party, Kokang Democracy Lahu National Development Party and Mro (or) Khami National Solidarity Organisation to continue as existing parties. Application filed by the Union Kayin League is still being scrutinised.
