Mon party to push for free market, development

Friday, 11 June 2010 22:20 Phanida

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – All Mon Region Democracy Party chairman Nai Ngwe Thein said that in parliament it would demand a free-market economy and industrial development with foreign investment.

Observers say the party is guaranteed seats as it is the only Mon party in the state and it will only contest constituencies inhabited by the Mon ethnic group. But they add however that per-parliamentarian monetary limits could work against the party’s building much of a mandate.

“We will strive for an appropriate free-market economy, attracting more foreign investment in the country and developing modes of production with modern technology,” Nai Ngwe Thein told Mizzima. “We can able to develop our country only if we can achieve industrial development.”

He said the economy of the state was such that people could survive on agriculture and rubber plantations for their livelihood but inter-regional and intra-state trading in was so poor so that many people had sought opportunities elsewhere.

“In Mon State, agriculture, rubber plantations and [other] cash crops are good but trade is so poor so that many people leave to find work in other countries,” he said. “We [members of parliament] will demand a free-market economy in our country.”

Nai Ngwe Thein career has included postings as former assistant Mon State education officer, Kachin State and Pegu Division education officer and basic education department for Upper Burma administrative director.

The party’s vice-chairman is Nai Hla Aung. Its main objectives for the country are: complete restoration of democratic and human rights in the country; solid ethnic unity based on equality and the right of self-determination; genuine multiparty democracy and democratic systems in the country.

Moreover party members will strive to: establish and perpetuate a genuine Union, eradicate corruption and bribery; work for social development and build a peaceful world social order, party sources said.

The party will contest in areas mostly inhabited by Mon people such as 10 townships in Mon State, two townships in Karen State, one township in Tanintharyi Division, one township in Pegu Division totaling 15 townships.

Currently 53 candidates were shortlisted for the upcoming general elections but party sources said it was yet to be decided how many candidates would stand.

Most members were former government employees or former New Mon State Party (NMSP) members, and almost all are ethnic Mon, the party said.

The minimum party membership requirement at the national level is 1,000 so the party has been electioneering in Ye and Thanphyu Zayat townships since early this month by presenting their party policies and intended programmes.

Local military intelligence personnel were reportedly monitoring the party’s campaigning and questioning its canvassers.

As it is the sole ethnic Mon party in Mon State, Nai Ngwe Thein firmly believed the people were attracted much interested in a party comprising ethnic Mon.

Political observers speculated that former NMSP central executive committee members Nai Chan Twe and two central committee members who recently resigned from their posts would join the AMRDP.

If these former NMSP leaders could accept the AMRDP platform they might join the party by resigning from their party, Nai Ngwe Thein said. But sources said they have not yet approached the new Mon party.

A total 42 political parties have applied for party registration and re-registration with the Union Election Commission as of June 8. Out of those, 37 parties have been allowed to form and five parties successful in the 1990 general election have been allowed to be re-registered. The remaining five parties have yet to receive such permission from the commission.