The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not send observers to Myanmar’s ongoing three-stage election and will therefore not endorse the poll, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said.
The military-run country has faced ongoing conflict since the 2021 coup that ousted a civilian government.
The current election, which began in December 2025, has drawn criticism from the United Nations, Western countries and rights groups, who say it is an attempt to legitimise military rule through political proxies, a charge denied by the junta.
Voter turnout has been low, with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party leading after securing 88% of the lower house seats contested in the first phase.
Mohamad Hasan told parliament that ASEAN rejected Myanmar’s request to send election observers during last year’s leaders’ summit in Kuala Lumpur, although some member states chose to monitor independently.
“We have said that ASEAN will not send observers, and by virtue of that, we will not certify the poll,” he said.
Separately, Mohamad noted that ASEAN is finalising a long-proposed code of conduct with China regarding South China Sea activities, aiming to conclude discussions this year.
Reuters
