POLITICS-ELECTION: NAYPYITAW, Myanmar – Myanmar swears in Suu Kyi loyalist as new president
Myanmar’s new President Win Myint (C); Cho Cho, first lady; and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi; Vice President number one Myint Swe; and Khin Thet Htay, second lady; at the Presidential Palace before the meeting with Cabinet members after taking oath of office at Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar yesterday. – AP
.
.
NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) – A longtime Aung San Suu Kyi loyalist vowed to prioritise the rule of law, peace and reconciliation yesterday after being sworn in as the country’s new president, who will continue his predecessor’s deference to her as the de facto national leader.
Win Myint, 66 and the former Lower House Speaker, took his oath of office during a joint session of Parliament, pledging loyalty “to the people and the republic of the Union of Myanmar”. First vice president Myint Swe, a military nominee and second vice president Henry Van Tio, an Upper House Parliament nominee, took oaths alongside him.
Suu Kyi and the powerful army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing watched the swearing-in. For many years a political prisoner under the military that then ruled Myanmar, Suu Kyi cannot become president because the junta-drafted 2008 constitution bars those with foreign family, which directly aimed to bar Suu Kyi from becoming head of state. Her two sons are British.
Myanmar’s military ruled with an iron fist before handing power to a civilian government led by Suu Kyi in 2016. The military still holds considerable power, with control of national security and other government functions and a quarter of the seats in Parliament. / |All photographs, news, editorials, opinions, information, data, others have been taken from the Internet ..aseanews.net | [email protected] | For comments, Email to : aseanews.net | / March 31, 2018
