Vote buying of USDP taking place in Sino border town

Panhsay Kyaw Myint (Li Yongqiang)

One of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidates Kyaw Myint aka Li Yongqiang, 51, well-known Panhsay militia chief from Namkham is reportedly giving money and presents to villagers who attend his campaign rallies as well as cash donations to monasteries during his ongoing election campaign, according to sources from the Sino-Burma border.

Kyaw Myint will run a seat for the lower house in Namkham constituency No.2.

“He donated Kyat 300,000 (US$ 300) at the monastery saying it was for the village’s fund. Afterwards, those who attended the meeting were given Kyat 2,000 (US$2), a T-Shirt and a hat that has USDP logo,” a local resident in Hart-hin village said.

His campaign rally in Hart-hin took place on 1 November. Similar activities have also been taken place in Kunhai and Nawngtern villages. Each village was said to have received the same amount of money and the same gifts as Harthin village.

Yet again on 3 November, he donated Kyat 5 million (US $5,000) to Namkham High School, an elderly person said.

“His donation monetary during election period has made people suspect he is buying votes indirectly,” he said.

Local villagers also reported that some of them were so frightened by Kyaw Myint they had decided to cast votes for the USDP. He was said to have brought dozens of armed militiamen along with him on his campaign troops.

“His troops were in full militia uniforms and were holding all sorts of weapons, from Bazooka to machine guns,” another villager from Kunhai said.

Kyaw Myint was a representative at the NC, in the national races category. He is known more for his drug business. Yongyang Casino on the Mao-Shweli River near Muse is owned by him. Many ferry crossings on the Mao-Ruili river that serves as a boundary between China and Burma are guarded by Kyaw Htwe aka Li Yongping, younger brother of Kyaw Myint, who enjoys close relations with former regional commander Myint Hlaing. His men tax the wayfarers and also reportedly traffics in drugs.

As for people from 13 villages across the Mao (Shweli), where a 200-strong Task Force 701 of anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) “South” is active, may likely have to come to the town and cast votes because local authorities are saying that the area is unstable.

The number of estimated voters from the area will be around 4,000, according to a village headman from the area.

Source:http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3284:vote-buying-of-usdp-taking-place-in-sino-border-town&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266