Myanmar president vows smooth handover after Suu Kyi poll win

YANGON — Myanmar's President Thein Sein on Sunday said historic polls won in a thumping landslide by Aung San Suu Kyi's party were the consequence of his government's reforms and vowed a smooth transition of power.

The former junta general, who shed his uniform to lead the country's quasi-civilian regime five years ago, said the November 8 polls were testament to the political and economic changes that have swept the former pariah state since the end of junta rule.

"The election is the result of our reform process and as we promised, we were able to hold it very successfully," he told a meeting of political parties in Yangon, in his first public appearance since the polls.

"We will hand this process [of reform] on to a new government," he said, adding "don't worry about the transition" in comments aimed at calming nerves in the country's first attempt at a democratic-style transition for decades.

Addressing representatives of nearly 90 political parties, many of which were trounced by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), the Myanmar leader said elections are the "duty" of a democratic nation.

He appeared sanguine about the resounding defeat of his army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, which will slip into opposition in the next parliament — due to sit from February. 

"The winning party is responsible for carrying out its duty and other opposition parties should provide checks and balances. That is called democracy," he said.

Poll rout 

According to the latest official results released Sunday evening the NLD has won nearly 80 per cent of elected seats in the combined parliament so far, with only a few seats left to call.

The USDP has just 8 per cent while ethnic parties have around 11 per cent. 

Election commission head Tin Aye told reporters in Naypyidaw that officials had tried to run a "free and fair" vote. 

He added that out of 91 parties registered for the polls, only 11 would enter the legislature after the NLD rout. 

Thein Sein, a slight bespectacled 70-year-old, has steered the country's dramatic opening up after years of isolation, freeing political prisoners, unleashing a long-muzzled press and welcoming foreign investment.

On Sunday he listed tasks for the next government to tackle in the country, which still struggles with high poverty rates and poor education, infrastructure and healthcare after years of junta neglect.

These include national reconciliation, continuing efforts to end ethnic rebellions and pushing forward with development.

Key talks 

Both the president and army chief have agreed to talks with Suu Kyi in the coming days as the country's political big-hitters look to negotiate the transition.

Observers say it is imperative that Suu Kyi build friendly ties with the military elite, which retains significant political and economic power. 

Suu Kyi has already travelled to the capital Naypyidaw, where on Monday she will attend a last session of the old parliament, which will continue sitting as a caretaker legislature until January.

On Sunday she held talks with the parliament speaker Shwe Mann, a key USDP figure who was tipped as a favourite compromise candidate for president until he was ousted as head of his party by military-backed rivals, including Thein Sein in August.

"She comforted me about the election and congratulated me on accepting the results swiftly," the speaker, who lost his constituency in the polls, said in a post on his official Facebook page.

He said a more formal meeting between the two would take place on Thursday.