Myanmar allows some ministerial officials to resign for entering election

The Myanmar government on Wednesday allowed four ministers and four deputy ministers to resign on their own volition, according to an order of the President's Office.

The high-ranking officials' resignation is seen as a move arranged to pave the way for them to enter the upcoming November general election and compete for seats in the new parliament in accordance with the constitution, analysts here said.

The four resigned ministers are Minister at the President's Office U Tin Naing Thein, Minister of Communications U Myat Hein, Minister of Immigration U Khin Yi and Minister of Rail Transportation U Than Htay, while the four resigned deputy ministers are U Pai Htwe from the Information Ministry, Dr. Maung Maung Htay from the Religious Affairs Ministry, U Than Tun from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Daw Win Maw Tun from the Labor Ministry.

The government also allowed two ministers and two deputy ministers to re-take their original posts in the military.

They are Minister of Defense Lieutenant-General Wai Lwin, Minister of Border Affairs Lieutenant-General Thet Naing Win, Deputy Minister of Defense Major-General Kyaw Nyunt and Deputy Minister of Border Affairs Major-General Tin Aung Chit.

These military officials are expected to retire from the military and then take part in the election as civilians for parliamentary seats according to the constitutional procedure.

Myanmar's Union Election Commission has designated a total of 1, 179 constituencies across the country for the vote at four levels of parliament representatives.

The general election is to produce parliamentary representatives to the next term of parliament which will form a new government in early 2016. Endi