MYANMAR-ELECTION/SINGAPORE-EARLY VOTING Myanmar nationals living in Singapore cast votes ahead of election

Record ID: 134714

  • Title: MYANMAR-ELECTION/SINGAPORE-EARLY VOTING Myanmar nationals living in Singapore cast votes ahead of election
  • Date: 15th October 2015
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (OCTOBER 15, 2015) (REUTERS) MYANMAR NATIONALS QUEUING ON TANGLIN ROAD WAITING TO ENTER MYANMAR EMBASSY TO CAST THEIR VOTES FOR NOVEMBER 8 GENERAL ELECTION VARIOUS OF MYANMAR NATIONALS WAITING IN LINE VARIOUS OF MYANMAR NATIONALS WAITING IN FRONT OF MYANMAR EMBASSY SIGN READING (English): "EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR SINGAPORE" (SOUNDBITE) (En
  • Embargoed: 30th October 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Singapore
  • Country: Singapore
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA7SUZ4S9ILSR468KEANNUD7KW
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Myanmar nationals on Thursday (October 15) queued up in front their embassy in Singapore to cast their ballots ahead of the country's general election on November 8.
    The election marks a major shift in Myanmar's political landscape, giving a platform to democratic activists crushed during a half-century of military rule that ended that year.
    "We do hope for the changes, that's the best we can do, like what everybody is doing, so we do our best, the rest, we can not say anything, but we do hope for the best from that election, we do hope that it's a fair election, and it will be government who wins this election, that's what we hope for," said Linn Htet, a Myanmar national who has lived in Singapore for the past 10 years.
    Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to do well in the vote, a milestone in the country's transition from a military dictatorship to democracy.
    Some supporters said they would travel back to the country if Suu Kyi's party wins the elections.
    "It depends on the situation of Myanmar elections, if elections will win of our leader NLD (National League For Democracy) then will go back to Myanmar," said Aung Kyaw Moe, Burmese, a Myanmar national.
    As voters walked out of the embassy, a volunteer group called "Successful Election Campaign Group" collected exit poll data.
    "Well we are hoping, but I don't know what will happen, but we are hoping that, you know, it will be a successful election and then we'd like to get to reflect the actual, you know, people's desire. So there are some rumours or some people are worrying about there could be some kind of fraud or something like that, so we try to eliminate that kind of a chance," said the Myanmar national, Ko Htike.
    A group representative said there were around 22,000 Myanmar nationals living in Singapore who have registered to vote.
    Myanmar nationals resident in Singapore will be able to cast their votes from Thursday to Sunday (October 18) between 9:30 a.m. (0130GMT) and 4:30 p.m. (0830 GMT).
    The NLD won an election in 1990 with a landslide but the junta did not recognize the result.
    Though the party is expected to win most seats in the upcoming election, there are no guarantees it will lead the executive.
    The president, who is chosen in a parliamentary vote that includes the military, chooses his or her own cabinet, not necessarily from among political parties.
    The constitution bars Suu Kyi from becoming president, regardless of the election outcome.
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