Myanmar former ruling party acting chairman responds to removal from party membership

Myanmar former ruling party acting chairman U Shwe Mann responded Monday to a recent decision by the Union Solidarity and Development Party to remove him from party membership, stressing the need for responsible organizations to review his case if it conforms to law and rules and regulations, U Shwe Mann wrote in his facebook.

U Shwe Mann, who was also former speaker of the Union Parliament and House of Representatives (Lower House) but is currently chairman of the advisory review commission for legal affairs and special case to the new Union Parliament formed on March 1, made the response days after he was informed of his removal from the party membership on April 22 along with 16 other senior members, some of whom are also members of his parliamentary commission.

Whether being a member of the party or not, or representing the party or not, he will continue his undertaking for the interest of the people, U Shwe Mann held, adding that his political stance is people's security, well being of the people and development of the nation.

Despite sacking of a party member is inter-party affair, he said it will more or less affect anyhow the interest of the state to certain extent, urging for review of the party decision with understanding.

Along with U Shwe Mann, other senior USDP members removed also include U Khin Shwe, U Maung Maung Thein, U San Shwe Aung, U Ko Ko Naing, U Zaw Myint Pe, U Thein Zaw and Thura U Aung Ko.

Of them, Thura U Aung Ko is currently Minister of Religious Affairs and Culture with the new government.

The USDP made a surprise major reshuffle of its leadership in August 2015 ahead of the year's general election, reforming its 47-member central executive committee (CEC) and retaining former President U Thein Sein as the party's chairman.

U Shwe Mann, who acted as the party chairman during U Thein Sein's then assumption of presidency, was removed and replaced by U Htay Oo, who was the party vice chairman.

Then USDP General Secretary U Maung Maung Thein was also substituted by U Tin Naing Thein, who was then Minister at the President's Office.

The USDP lost to the then opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, in the 2015 general election, holding only 10 percent of the total of the parliamentary seats.

According to a member of the USDP central executive committee, the party is now reforming its leadership after losing the election.