Myanmar's New President Htin Kyaw Recently Elected
A new president for Myanmar was recently elected.
It was revealed that a milestone was met by Myanmar just this week, after Htin Kyaw was elected as president. 69-year-old Kyaw is the first civilian to become the president of Myanmar. It was stated that he was a childhood friend of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
According to BBC UK, Kyaw was selected by the lawmakers in Naypytaw, the capital of Myanmar. The choice of president was a vital step for the country since it has been previously ruled by the military.He was running against the military candidate Myint Swe, who was able to receive the second highest amount of votes. With that, Swe is expected to take on the role of vice president.
It was stated that Kyaw will be seeking advice from Suu Kyi, who revealed previously that she will be holding a high position than him. Kyi is a former political prisoner who was barred from receiving a high position in office due to her late foreign husband who was British.
Kyaw had the support of Kyi's party because of his loyalty to the group. In addition, he had stayed supportive to Kyi despite her reputation in the country. It was revealed that he even faced harsh consequences for being seen with her in Mandalay.
While it has yet to be confirmed, it was stated that Htin Kyaw was able to receive a master's degree in Economics after his studies at the Yangon University. After that, he took on work at the Foreign Ministry regarding the economic matters of the organization.
With a new president, the citizens of Myanmar are hoping to see significant changes. However, there has yet to be any news on what exactly will be imposed with Kyaw's term. There are speculations that the country will shift away from the pro-democracy activism stand. Meanwhile, these details have yet to be confirmed.