CNI News
11 July 2022
All existing political parties are reportedly required to register again, according to reports spread among political parties.
Chairman Dr Aye Maung of Arakan Front Party told the CNI that he had heard the news and it will be difficult for small ethnic parties to subsist if they are required to register again under new rules and regulations.
“We have been required to pay K 300,000 for registration of a political party since the term of former president U Thein Sein. We are wondering how much the Union Election Commission will raise the registration fees. State and regional parties are required to have a membership of 500 and national parties must have a membership of 1,000. It has been rumored that national parties are required to have 100,000 members and party registration fees will be raised to K 100 million. It is also said that state and regional parties are required to pay K 10 million registration fees and membership restrictions have not known yet. If they increase the fees and membership ten folds, regional parties will have to pay K 10 million registration fees and have a membership of 10,000. If they introduce the new rules and regulations, it will be difficult for smaller parties to subsist. It is even difficult for some national parties if they are required to pay the higher registration fees and have a membership of 100,000,” said Dr Aye Maung.
Union Election Commission (AFP)
The UEC has announced that proportional representation system will be introduced in the upcoming 2023 elections.
If the PR system is introduced, it is necessary to reduce the number of political parties. It is likely that the commission raise the registration fees and memberships for such reasons, according to Dr Aye Maung.
The new rules and regulations might be introduced as some national political parties have failed to represent the entire country, Chairman U Sein Win of National United Democratic Party told the CNI.
“First, the number of political parties is inflated but most parties have a membership 20, 30 or 1,000 despite being national parties. There are some political parties which do not have the ability to represent the entire countries. They (UEC) might have learnt that because they have already scrutinized political parties generally and learnt the true situation of them. Second, It is necessary political parties to have an appropriate membership. Although some people have formed political parties, they do not have an appropriate membership. They are political parties in name only. Therefore, the number of political parties is inflated due to such parties. They (UEC) might want to introduce the PR system by doing so,” said U Sein Win.
The flag of the NLD party.
The CNI contacted responsible officials from the SAC for the news reports but have not received a reply.
Under section 5 (f) of the Political Parties Registration Law, a pollical party shall organize at least 1000 party members within 90 days from the day of permission for registration as a political party if it is a party that will organize throughout the entire Union or it shall organize at least 500 party members within 90 days from the day of permission for registration as a political party if it is a party that will organize only in a Region or State.
There are 92 existing political parties in Myanmar, according to the UEC.
