Htin Kyaw sworn in as Myanmar's first elected civilian president in decades

MrHtinKyaw,themanchosenbyAungSanSuuKyitoserveasherproxy,wassworninasMyanmar’spresidentonWednesday(March30)inahistoricpowershiftawayfromoutrightarmyrule.

WearingacollarlessshirtintheNLD’speach-colouredparliamentarycolours,thebespectacled69-year-oldcloseaideandconfidanteofSuuKyipledgedtobe“faithfultothepeopleoftherepublicoftheunionofMyanmar”ataceremonyatthecountry’sparliamentinthecapitalNaypyidaw.

Hetakespowerfromtheoutgoingquasi-civiliangovernmentledbyformergeneralTheinSein.

MsSuuKyi,70,isbarredfrombecomingpresidentbythejunta-scriptedConstitutionbuthasdeclaredthatshewillsteerthegovernmentanyway,takingonCabinetpositionsincludingbecomingtheenergy,educationandforeignminister.

ThehandovermarksthefinalactofaprolongedtransitionsinceMsSuuKyi'sNationalLeagueforDemocracypartycleanedupataNovemberelection.

TheSouth-eastAsiannationof51millionpeopleisinthethroesofadramatictransformationasitemergesfromtheshadowofthejuntaandopensitseconomytotheworld.

ExpectationsforanNLD-dominatedgovernmentrunhigh,butthecountry'snewrulersfaceasteeptask.

Civilwarscontinuetorageinethnicminorityborderlands,povertyiswidespreadandthemilitarycontinuestoholdhugepoliticalandeconomicpowers.

"Thecountryisreadyandhungryforchange,"politicalanalystKhinZawWintoldAFP.

Hesaidthepartywouldbeunderpressuretoquicklybuildonthereformsoftheoutgoingquasi-civiliangovernmentandnottryto"startfromscratch",addingtheyshouldbeabletoachievealotbeforethenextelectionsin2020.

MyanmarhaswitnessedastaggeringpoliticalchangeshepherdedbyPresidentTheinSein.

Investorsandtouristshavebeguntopileinasmanyofthejunta'sworstrepressionshaveeasedpromisingabetterfuturetoapublicwhonowhaveaccesstomobilephones,cheapercarsandothercovetedconsumergoods.

AkeychallengeforMsSuuKyi'sadministrationwillbemaintainingsmoothrelationswithamilitarythatlockedherandmanyofhercolleaguesupforyearsunderthejunta.

Thecharteralsoringfencesaquarterofparliamentaryseatstounelectedsoldiersandgivesthearmychiefcontroloverthehomeaffairs,borderanddefenceministries-andwithitsweepingpowersoverthecivilservice.

TheNLDhashitstumblingblocksevenbeforetakingoffice,withconcernsraisedoveraCabinetline-upinwhichMsSuuKyiistheonlywomanandthemembersareallintheir60sorolder,representingonetheregion'syoungestpopulations.

MsSuuKyiisalsorumouredtobetakingonaseeminglygargantuantaskoffourministerialposts-president'soffice,energy,educationandforeignaffairs.

TheministerwidelyexpectedtotaketheroleoffinancechiefwassweptintoarowlastweekwhenitwasspottedthathisofficiallyreleasedCVcontainedafakePhD.

Hesaidhehadbeenthevictimofascam.

(THESTRAITSTIMES)