Myanmar’s junta leader dismisses critics as military allies head for landslide election win

(Reuters)

Jan 25- Myanmar’s junta chief on Sunday dismissed foreign criticism of the war-torn country’s general election as a final round of voting took place, with the military-backed party having secured a majority of seats in previous rounds.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party has won 193 of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 of 78 seats in the upper house after two rounds held on December 28 and January 11. Voter turnout was around 55% in each round, sharply lower than levels of about 70% in the 2020 and 2015 elections.

Major opposition groups are not contesting the polls amid a civil war triggered by a 2021 coup that brought the military to power. The United Nations, rights groups and the UK have denounced the polls as a sham exercise to perpetuate the military’s hold.

Malaysia, which last year chaired the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, has said the bloc would not endorse the election.

“Whether the international community recognizes this or not, we don’t understand their perspective. The people’s vote is the recognition we need,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing told reporters on Sunday, according to video broadcast on state TV.