Rangoon University Convocation Hall

THE OPPOSITION PARTY, NLD, WON A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN PARLIAMENTARY POLLS HELD ON NOV. 8. THE CHARISMATIC PARTY LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, SAYS THE WINNER IS NOT THE NLD; THE REAL WINNER IS THE PEOPLE. WHAT THIS ELECTION WIN MEANS FOR THE NLD AND THE PEOPLE?

I WAS NERVOUS and sleepless throughout the night waiting for the day's break of Nov 8. It was probably the longest, self-imposed vigilante in my life and I didn't feel bad a bit. I knew I wasn't alone. 

Burma's first most important general elections since 1990 were held on that day. It's important in many ways: free and semi-fair and inclusive. But the fact that the electoral processes were organized under a controversial constitution -- and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) ignored all improbabilities and took part in it without much scrutiny -- was the salient point, making it one of the most important elections in quarter of a century of this country's turbulent recent history.  

Predictably, the NLD won a landslide 80% of parliamentary seats, battering mercilessly the ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), which scored only forty-something in 657-seat Pyidaungsu Hluttaw or Bicameral Parliament.   

The NLD's win galvanized hopes for a "real change," which the opposition party had chosen as its election slogan. The victory harbingers a changed Burma, a democratic Federal Union, which Bamar and all ethnic races alike aspired for a long time but still not attained due to the military rulers' high-scale repressions on any sort of dissensions and cruel crackdown on the opposition, and of course, the undemocratic Constitution which bars someone like Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming a president.  

If all goes well, the ruling USDP must transfer power to the winning NLD by not later than March 2016. Both President Thein Sein and Defense Services Commander-in-Chief Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing have pledged to cooperate with the NLD for a peaceful and smooth transfer of power. 

Let's say everything goes well. Then, the NLD has paramount tasks ahead as the elected civilian government. Undoubtedly, expectations will be unusually high from both international and local supporters. The party never had experiences in managing economy, security and defense affairs, international relations and ethnic issues on a large-scale basis. 

Even if these key affairs are given to non-party member experts to manage -- as clearly indicated by Aung San Suu Kyi recently -- the NLD and its elected representatives still cannot rest on their laurels. They only have five short years to work on hundreds of legislations that need to be amended in line with time and democracy. 

It means a hard work for the NLD but not impossible to do. To maintain supports from the people and the international community, the NLD will have to opt-in the following issues as priority and show a result-oriented performance:

1. Amendment of undemocratic laws
2. Reaching eternal peace with ethnic races
3. Establishing the rule of law in the country. 

It might be easier said than done. To overcome these issues and to see tangible results, Aung San Suu Kyi needs to drive hard her parliamentarians as well as civil servants and experts. She will have to ensure she uses the right man -- the best only -- at the right place. Because time is too precious, there's no time and place for error or complacence. 

No solution is perfect in politics. Thus, the NLD won't have the luxury of time to experiment its performance in setting up "good governance and clean government" -- as preached and bloated use of it by the ruling USDP government. Within three months of taking office, the NLD government ought to show tangible results which must be felt to the general public. 

At the same time, the NLD must keep up the good work polishing the party's democratic values. The following works are indispensable:

1. Maintaining and increasing the political momentum in order to continue to enjoy the people's support
2. Constantly formulating and implementing government policies that benefit the people of all races 
3. Setting up government and civil institutions and promoting the emergence of several of them 
4. Immediately eliminating widespread poverty with the help of the international community and donor countries (transparent FDI must be permitted immediately as a priority)

The list is endless. There are hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of issues waiting to be solved. Don't expect the NLD to solve all these issues overnight. But -- if all else is failed in the first 100 days -- one quick fix remains an option: Swiftly undo everything that the military rulers and the ruling USDP government have done to the country for nearly three decades. 

At least, the people will appreciate its effort even if government policies take times to fulfill their dreams.   

As for the people, they have done their duty well. The new change means the new phase of life for them. But they too cannot afford to relax. The citizens have to keep on monitoring the new government. The emergence of civil society organizations must be increased and their roles must be promoted in the society. Media scrutiny will best serve the purpose of promoting democratic values under the new government.

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