Myanmar President: In a historic win, Htin Kyaw has been chosen as the new president of Myanmar (Burma) on Tuesday. He is a close friend of Myanmar’s Nobel award winner Aung San Suu Kyi. The nation has put forward the latest step in the direction of democracy. The military used to run the country. (watch: Bangladesh vs India.)
The 69-year-old person, Htin Kyaw has become the first civilian president after a very long of military rule. He has been selected by the parliament and belongs to the opposition National League of Democracy (NLD) party. His session will start from April 1, 2016.
Myanmar President
Being married to a foreigner, Suu Kyi couldn’t participate as a candidate in the elections. However, she has confirmed that the government will be in her hands. This is the first time when someone has been elected as the president of the country. Until now almost after 50 years, most of the Myanmar citizen haven’t heard the name – Htin Kyaw.
There are still rumors and speculations surrounding the elections and governance. Many reports that suggest Suu Kyi may become Myanmar’s new prime minister. As of now, the position of prime minister doesn’t exist, but will be created. As anticipated, it will cause of friction with the powerful military.
Myanmar PresidentOne minute Myanmar
“As prime minister she would be able to travel the world and meet with world leaders, basically fulfil the role of being the president without actually having that title,” said Hay.
Suu Kyi led the NLD to a landslide victory in the November 8 general elections after decades of often brutal rule by Myanmar’s generals. Suu Kyi made the NLD party to win the 2008 general elections and sweeping away the military rule from there in Myanmar.Htin Kyaw gave up a career in the Foreign Ministry to help Aung San Suu Kyi, his childhood friend, with her political party.
When Myanmar was under military rule, Htin Kyaw ended up in the junta’s prison along with other pro-democracy activists.
Htin Kyaw is the son of a poet and the son-in-law of a founding member of the country’s pro-democracy movement.
Suu Kyi nominated him “obviously to show that he is the most trusted person for her”, said Zaw Min, 48, a former NLD member.
“If this kind of person leads the country … it will also affect positively on the people of this country,” he said.
Htin Kyaw’s secured 360 votes from among 652 ballots cast in the bicameral parliament, winning a strong majority. The vote count was read aloud and announced by a parliament official.
The military’s nominee, Myint Swe, won 213 votes and will become the first vice president. Htin Kyaw’s NLD running mate, Henry Van Tio, won 79 votes and will take the post of second vice president.
Myanmar’s military – with 25 percent of seats in parliament – had questioned Suu Kyi’s choices for president and vice president.
Myint Swe is seen as a close ally of former junta leader Than Shwe, and remains on a US State Department blacklist that bars American companies from doing business with several tycoons and senior military figures connected with the former junta.