Myanmar Embassy officials in Singapore have extended early voting there through at least Wednesday amid criticism of alleged voting manipulation at Myanmar embassies in various countries. Officials on Sunday had told potential voters in Singapore – some camping overnight on sidewalks – that only the first 3,000 in line would be able to cast ballots. Some 20,000 Myanmar nationals in Singapore had requested to vote in advance of their country’s November 8 general election. Myanmar embassies in various countries, including Singapore and Thailand, have faced a backlash of angry voters complaining about delays and being denied the right to cast ballots. Thailand is home to an estimated several million Myanmar citizens but less than 700 were deemed eligible to cast ballots – and a number of those faced difficulties when they actually went to the embassy in Bangkok to vote.
“Embassy officials said there are no ballot papers from constituency in Ton Tay township,” explained Aung Myo Kyaw, a migrant worker in Thailand. “I couldn’t complain at all. They stopped me. I’m an eligible voter on the early voter list but I’m not allowed to vote.”
Nwe Nwe Win, an engineer training in Bangkok, said she was also on the early voting list but was not allowed to cast ballots. “I’m very unsatisfied with the results today,” she told VOA.
Similar complaints were listed on social media by early voters who went to embassies in Canberra, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.
Full Article: Early Voting Problems in Myanmar Election.