CNI News
28 November 2025
Naing Aung Ma Ngay, spokesperson of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), told CNI News that the NMSP is not exerting any pressure on political parties or Mon voters competing in—or participating in—the upcoming multi-party democratic general election in Mon State.
He said:“We don’t know what the Mon public’s opinion will be. They will continue exercising their own political rights as they wish. As for us, we have nothing to object to regarding this election. In our area as well, we haven’t seen building the polling stations yet. We also do not apply any pressure. Those who want to go [vote] can go; those who want to stay can stay. They can decide freely. We do not interfere or tell anyone what to do.”
The New Mon State Party (NMSP) was founded on July 20, 1958. It signed a bilateral state- and union-level ceasefire agreement in February 2012. Later, it signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) on February 13, 2018.
In the upcoming election in Mon State, the competing political parties include:
– Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)
– People’s Pioneer Party (PPP)
– People’s Party
– Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (White Tiger Party)
– National Unity Party
– Myanmar Farmers Development Party
– Mon Unity Party (MUP)
– Pa-O National Development Party
NMSP Deputy Chair Naing Aung Min meeting Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in May 2022
Naing Than Shwe, the spokesperson for the Mon Unity Party (MUP), which will also contest in Mon State, told CNI News that the NMSP has not obstructed the election process.
He said:“We don’t know much about the other parts, but mainly, the NMSP—which is an NCA signatory—does not obstruct the election. Because participating in elections is the work of political parties, they don’t interfere and haven’t imposed any restrictions. We don’t know about the positions of the other armed groups. We also don’t know what situations might arise. We cannot know their internal matters.”
After Myanmar’s 2021 political change, an NMSP breakaway faction called the NMSP–Anti-Dictatorship (NMSP-AD) emerged. Subsequently, four new Mon armed groups also appeared:
– Mon Liberation Army (MLA)
– Mon National Liberation Army–Anti-Dictatorship (MNLA–AD)
– Mon State Defense Force (MSDF)
– Mon State Revolutionary Force (MSRF)
MSDF leader Dr. Thiri Mon Chan meeting with the public
These four groups operate collectively under the “Mon Army” and have carried out military activities.
Additionally, in Mon State, KNU forces and NUG-affiliated PDFs are also active.
The Mon State Federal Council (MSFC) has announced that individuals participating in the upcoming election—including Mon candidates and those involved in supporting or facilitating the election—will be arrested and prosecuted.
This includes:
– Standing as a candidate in the election
– Campaigning for oneself or for any organization or individual
– Assisting or supporting campaign activities
– Any participation contributing to the election’s success
The MSFC has declared that all such individuals will be subject to arrest and action.
