Esteemed people, I am U Kyaw Swa Soe, Chairman of the Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party.

Our Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party was founded on 6 November 2012 by twenty-one farmers. When we established the party, it was not because we were already experts in political processes or party responsibilities. Rather, it was founded with the determination and spirit to represent the real lives of farmers so that their voices could be heard by the Hluttaw, the nation, and the world and to ensure that farmers themselves had the rights and opportunity to participate and speak through their own party.

Therefore, we participated in the 2015 general election with 286 candidates from the Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party. Those genuine farmers who participated and competed had strong determination, but due to their lack of experience in politics, they struggled to reach their goals and were unable to win the election.

In our country, 75 per cent of the population lives in rural areas, and all of them are farmers engaged in raising crops and livestock activities. In other words, 75 per cent of all citizens are farmers.

Our farmers don’t really understand democracy or democratic processes. Our lives are so consumed with just trying to make ends meet – food, clothing, and basic living – that we don’t have the opportunity to learn anything else. To help address these challenges, our Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party pledges to provide support and assistance for them.

All ethnic people, during these challenging times, are facing difficulties in making a living because they cannot engage in multiple economic activities, and no one can deny that their means of sustenance are strained. After the upcoming election, a new government will emerge, which will bring political changes. I firmly believe that when politics improves, the economy will also improve. Ordinary citizens are generally not concerned with conflicts or political disputes; what they care about is a stable and thriving economy. A stable country is the foundation for a strong economy. Once the election is successfully held and a civilian government comes to power, the country’s stability will be assured.

Our Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party is a major party competing nationwide. My party’s representatives also include many young people and those actively engaged in practical, on-the-ground work. The election system is no longer like it used to be; it will be carried out through a mix of FPTP (First-Past-The-Post) and PR (Proportional Representation) systems. Therefore, our party’s representatives are expected to gain rightful entry into the legislature.

I have specifically instructed our candidates to have a sincere and caring attitude towards the people, to help and support them compassionately, and to pay close attention to their difficulties in life, assisting them as much as possible.

I would like to put forward one point to all the ethnic groups of the country. That point is that we must eradicate the country’s greatest enemy: poverty.

When people are poor, their spirits become low; when their spirits are low, their vision becomes clouded; when vision is clouded, conflict arises; and when conflict arises, peace disappears.

To eradicate poverty, we need to fight it together with experts. By “experts”, I mean those who are skilled and proficient in their respective fields:

* Farmers are skilled in cultivation.

* Soldiers are skilled in combat.

* Workers are skilled in factory and labour tasks.

* Merchants are skilled in buying and selling.

In any profession, expertise is what brings real benefit. If we can assign people to the right place according to their skills, I believe our country will become prosperous.

Politics is nothing extraordinary. Even General Aung San once said that politics is the work of ensuring that the basic needs of the people – food, clothing, and shelter – are met effectively. What we have learned is that politics can be expressed as: social welfare + economic development = politics.

Social welfare means working to help, protect, assist, and ensure fairness for the lives of the general public, cultivating a spirit of empathy.

Economic development means working to improve one’s own life, enhance the well-being of one’s community, and advance the prosperity of the nation, ensuring that basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter are adequately met.

When combined, social welfare + economic development = politics.

Thus, politics is a field of work that emerges from among the people, led and carried out by the people themselves. In the State as well, civil servants should remain free from party politics.

Civil servants are also people who emerge from among the citizens to serve the nation, so it is equally important for their lives to be sufficient and prosperous. When commodity prices rise, it not only affects ordinary citizens, but the public servants carrying out their national duties also have to bear the same burden.

The flag of the Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party depicts two red dragons standing proudly with their chests out, while a farmer stands firmly between them. The red dragons symbolize guiding the way to freedom from poverty, implying that the party aims to lead and improve the lives of the impoverished and of farmers.

Hence, in the upcoming general election, we earnestly request the entire public to support our Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party and its Red Dragon symbol.

We anticipate that after the upcoming election, our Union of Myanmar will achieve simultaneous progress in both peace and economic development. Moreover, with Myanmar collaborating with the People’s Republic of China to implement the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), numerous employment opportunities will emerge, the country will connect more closely with global markets, and the benefits of development will become increasingly tangible for the people.

In conclusion, as the Myanmar Farmers’ Development Party, the commitment we can make to the people is this: above all else, we pledge to diligently protect the households of our citizens, ensuring that families have enough to eat and live comfortably.

#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar