USDP candidate trades free temporary ID card for votes in Phakant

 Former Kachin State (Northern Command) commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint. Photo: Kachin News Group

The former Northern Regional Commander of the Burmese military and the People’s Parliament Candidate for the junta’s Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Ohn Myint, is offering free, temporary identity cards to voters while campaigning in Kachin State, Northern Burma.

Yellow, temporary national identity cards have been distributed to the people who have no ID card in Phakant jade mining town (Hpakan in Kachin) in, Kachin State, local people said.

The ID card is being given out at the local immigration office. It has no photograph, only the name, address and the registration number of the person given the card, according to the quarter authority.


Ohn Myint is also giving money to local people as he campaigns.

“He is giving ten thousand kyat in 100 notes and 50 kyat of coin,” according to a Phakant resident who received the money.

Local people said army officers helped Ohn Myint collect one million kyats from each local jade trader, which he used to organize his campaign.

He also ordered local officials to distribute his biographical data and money to the people.

Local people who received the money and ID card have to vote for Ohn Myit and the USDP whether they like it or not, said the resident.

He said a national ID card normally costs at least 140,000 kyats.

Source:http://kachinnews.com/news/1770-usdp-candidate-trades-free-temporary-id-card-for-votes-in-phakant.html

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