CNI News
10 April 2025
Due to a powerful earthquake that recently struck Myanmar, there were a great deal of casualties and damages. If it is taken into account justly, the State Administration Council is less likely to hold elections, Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-Myanmar analyst, told CNI News.
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, damaging government buildings, roads and bridges, including the Hluttaw buildings in Naypyidaw.
Similarly, there have been deaths and injuries in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions, as well as the collapse of homes, hotels, religious buildings, and roads and bridges.
Myanmar will need to undertake reconstruction work because there were damages caused by the earthquake and war. Similarly, Myanmar will also need to try to recover from its economic downturn, which makes it difficult to hold elections in 2025, she pointed out.
The Hluttaw building was damaged by the earthquake on March 28, 2025
The SAC may hold elections if it wants to do as it pleases. But if justice is taken into account, there will be no possibility of holding elections, said Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw.
"If the SAC thinks justly and fairly, it won't hold elections. It might hold elections if it wants to. If it invited other countries to elections, there would be no possibility of holding elections, I think. No matter how much the SAC gets on well with Russia or China, they can't guarantee what is wrong, I think. So, it is less likely to hold elections. The military council will face more crises. There were also a lot of damages in Naypyidaw. Many government staff houses were also damaged. I think this year will be hard to get through." she said.
Myanmar had planned to hold a general election in December 2025 or January 2026, the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said at a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on March 7, 2025.
Military and political observers said that it would be difficult to hold elections within the timeframe announced by SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, bridges, and buildings would take time and cost a lot of money.
However, military and political analysts point out that nobody can predict whether the SAC will hold elections or not, as the country needs political change at a time when reconstruction efforts are underway.
The SAC Chairman visited earthquake relief teams to meet
If important buildings and sites were repaired together, there would be a possibility of holding elections, U Sai Htay Aung, chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) National Development Party (TNDP), told CNI News.
“The SAC will hold elections at the time when it had said. It has repeatedly said it. The SAC chairman said it when he met with Nepali PM on April 4. We can say that this is a promise from a government that elections will surely be held. If important buildings and sites were repaired together, there would be a possibility of holding elections. I don't think elections will be put off. If elections were put off, the country will face more crises." he said.
SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said at the SAC meeting on March 3, 2025 that the SAC was carrying out to hold a multi-party democratic general election successfully between the third week of December this year and the second week of January 2026.
