Interview: Security status for forthcoming general election good: Myanmar election official

The security status for Myanmar's upcoming general election is good as far as the nationwide is concerned despite cancellation of few areas for holding the election due to security reason, Chairman of the Union Election Commission U Tin Aye told Xinhua Thursday.

In an interview with Xinhua at the commission's office in Nay Pyi Taw , U Tin Aye said the areas where the election cannot be held are much reduced compared with the last election in 2010, indicating that there is much improvement in the security situation along with the pushing of the country's peace process.

He also said to ensure the security and the smooth holding of the nationwide election, the Home Ministry has tightened the security measures by establishing provisionally an over-40,000-strong special police force with at least one member taking duty at each polling station and the environment is reinforced with other force.

He pointed out that the November 8 election has much more characteristics compared with the previous ones, citing the increase of the number of competing political parties to 91 from 37 in the previous election.

Besides, the understanding of the voters has been enhanced, knowing not only to select parties but also the personality.

He disclosed that the country is opening to local and international observers to monitor the election and has accepted six international observer groups, 13 domestic groups as well as observers despatched by 30 foreign embassies based in Myanmar. Of them, international observers amount to nearly one thousand, while domestic observers are over 10,000.

He also pointed out that the commission has made full preparation for the holding of the election in a free and fair manner, believing that the election will be historically significant and be successful in the holding.

As disclosed, a total of 6,040 candidates involving 91 political parties and independent runners will compete for more than 1,000 seats at different levels of the parliament in the upcoming general election.

Of the candidates, 1,122 are fielded by the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), while 1,124 are fed by the biggest opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

The country has a total of 46,400 polling booths.

The general election, which is held every five years, is to produce elected representatives to the next term of the parliament. The new parliament will in next February elect president and vice presidents and form a new term of the government. Endit