Myanmar to hold constitutional referendum as scheduled

YANGON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar will hold its constitutional referendum as scheduled on May 10, the State Radio announced Tuesday in a breaking news, saying that referendum activities in some townships hit by a recent cyclone storm and is not yet returning to normal will be put off.

The announcement, quoting First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council Lieutenant-General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, said that among the five divisions and states hit by the cyclone, three division and states, Bago, Mon and Kayin, have basically returned to normal, while some townships in Yangon and Ayeyawaddy divisions have not reached the status.

Based on the first secretary's remarks, the Commission for Holding Nationwide Referendum announced that the nationwide constitutional referendum will be held in the whole country as scheduled on May 10 including the three disaster-hit division and states which basically have returned to normal and some townships not hit by the disaster in Yangon and Ayeyawaddy divisions.

Referendum in those townships affected by the cyclone in Yangonand Ayeyawaddy divisions will be put off to a fortnight on May 24.

The new announcement on the referendum date came three days after some Myanmar's southwestern coastal cities and the former capital of Yangon were hit by the Nargis from last Friday to Saturday, inflicting an inestimable loss to the areas.

Myanmar government has declared five divisions and states -- Yangon, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Kayin and Mon -- as natural-disaster-hit regions and relief and resettlement work are underway.

Meanwhile, before hit by the natural disaster, Myanmar has announced voting eligible voters across the country to cast ballots in the upcoming nationwide constitutional referendum.