TRISHAWS FLY PARTY COLOURS AMID VIRUS-HIT CAMPAIGN
As surging coronavirus infections make election canvassing difficult in Myanmar, humble trishaw drivers are becoming unlikely champions for a nationwide ballot just three weeks away.
Lockdowns have put the brakes on election activities, with parties focusing efforts on social media and trishaw drivers who spread the message on the street, festooning their vehicles and passenger seats with party flags, umbrellas and logos.
“It’s like we are doing an election campaign on their behalf,” said Zaw Min, a trishaw driver kitted out in the red attire of the incumbent National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
“I hope our activity will be effective for the candidates.”
A handful of the three-wheeled passenger bikes popular in Yangon displayed the colours of opposition parties running against the NLD.
Covid-19 infections in Myanmar have exploded, from a few hundred in mid-August to nearly 31,000 infections and 700 deaths as of last Thursday.
With authorities piling resources into fighting the virus, there are doubts about the viability of the Nov 8 poll, which State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has said
must go ahead and is “more important than Covid”.
The main challenger to the NLD, the military-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party, and 23 other opposition parties have called for a postponement.
The legislature’s term ends on Jan 31, but if no parliamentary election is held before then, a constitutional crisis is a possibility.
With social restrictions increasing, the trishaw’s role in Myanmar goes beyond public transport.
“It is not an election rally, it is just to show our support,” said driver Zaw Ko, who supports the NLD. “Now as the election gets closer even with these virus restrictions, I hope our activities can help our favourite party.”