CNI News
3 September 2025
The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been acting with a factional authoritarian style during the revolution, according to Ko Sithu Maung, spokesperson of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH).
On August 30, 2025, the NLD CWC group held a party regular meeting and decided to temporarily suspend Ko Sithu Maung’s party membership. The resolution stated that he could submit an appeal to either the forthcoming National Conference or the Central Committee meeting.
Regarding the decision, Ko Sithu Maung said on his Facebook page on September 1, 2025, that the reasons for his suspension had not been clarified, nor had he been formally informed until now.
“I wrote analyses of the incidents that occurred during the four-year period of NLD CWC and explained them part by part. If they take such action against me without even trying to clarify, it shows that political tolerance is fading. If the attitude is ‘don’t criticize us, don’t point out our mistakes, whether our actions are right or wrong is none of your business, and if you criticize, we’ll act against you in meetings as a group,’ then this is nothing but a factional authoritarian mindset in the middle of a revolution.” he said.
Ko Sithu Maung further responded that the so-called NLD CWC group neither had the authority nor the right to take disciplinary action, and that he had not even applied for party membership through the CWC.
“In a political party, disciplinary action means the Disciplinary Committee must conduct an inquiry. If wrongdoing is found, the decision must be made at a Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting. The CWC, as a nominal group, has neither the authority nor the right to act this way. I did not apply for party membership through the CWC. The only possible reason they took this action may be because of the documents I have written, which are shared in the links below. Those interested can read them.” he added.
Ko Sithu Maung had contested in the 2020 general election as an NLD candidate in Yangon Region’s Pabedan Township and was elected as a Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) MP.
On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar Tatmadaw ousted the NLD government, citing unresolved disputes over the 2020 general election voter list, and declared a state of emergency. Following this political upheaval, Ko Sithu Maung opposed the coup and joined the CRPH, where he has been serving as its spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the NLD CWC includes members such as U Aung Kyi Nyunt, Daw May Win Myint, U Tun Myint, U Kyaw Htwe, U Myo Nyunt, U Win Aung, U Tint Htut Oo, and Dr. Khin Saung, most of whom have fled abroad.
According to the NLD’s constitution, the formation of the CWC is illegitimate, as stated by U Toe Lwin, who was responsible for party discipline enforcement.
