Big names help Democratic Party gain support

Democratic Party (Myanmar) chairman U Thu Wai at the party’s new office in Pazundaung township on July 8. Pic: Christopher Davy

HAVING the daughters of senior government ministers from the post-World War II parliamentary democracy era has given the Democratic Party (Myanmar) a significant advantage over its opponents, chairman U Thu Wai told The Myanmar Times last week.

The party counts Daw Than Than Nu, daughter of former Prime Minister U Nu, Daw Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein, daughter of former deputy PM U Kyaw Nyein, and Daw Nay Yee Ba Swe, daughter of former PM U Ba Swe, among its senior members.

“We have found that it works in our favour,” U Thu Wai said on July 8, a day before the party opened its new office in Pazundaung township. “Wherever we go, whether it’s to towns or villages, people are interested in meeting us because they know these names.”

U Thu Wai said the party had been encouraged by the general public’s interest in the election and rejected suggestions many people would not vote.

“People are becoming more and more interested. At the start they were hesitant to become involved,” he said.
“We are hoping the turnout will be at least as high as in 1990” when about 80 percent of eligible voters cast a vote. “The higher the turnout, the better for democratic parties.”