Rumor-mongering over Myanmar’s next president reached peak ridiculousness yesterday, with a senior National League for Democracy official telling the Myanmar Times that the name of the new head of state will consist of two words.
“The president’s name has two words,” Win Htein told reporters after a meeting at Aung San Suu Kyi’s house in Naypyitaw.
If so, hotly tipped female advisor Tin Mar Aung and Dr Tin Myo Win, Suu Kyi’s doctor, are both out.
Octogenarian NLD co-founder Tin Oo is still in the game, though, as is senior aide Htin Kyaw.
The party has been forced to select a proxy president since Myanmar’s constitution blocks Suu Kyi on account of her foreign sons.
Two nominees from the party will be announced on Thursday.
Attempts to negotiate with the military to suspend the constitutional clause appear to have failed.
Or rather, considering Win Htein’s ‘two words’ bombshell, they certainly have: we count four in ‘Aung San Suu Kyi’.
Or do we?
The lead-up to the announcement has been marked by sometimes laughable speculation.
Win Htein – still in the game himself – previously told the media the candidate choice would be a “big surprise”.
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