YANGON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is making preparations for the citizens to be able to vote in the upcoming general elections in a safe and secure manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said in her televised message to the public late on Monday.
"We will conduct a test run of what will happen on the election day at the polling stations and a rehearsal will be carried out to see how the people will cast their ballots in a safe and secure manner from the health point of view. We will train and then do the testing systematically," Suu Kyi said.
"We will run this type of training exercise for three times before the election day and based on these three exercises we will think very carefully what kind of rules and regulations should be established."
Suu Kyi wanted the public to understand that voting in the general elections is a duty as citizens and abiding by the health rules and regulations to protect themselves from COVID-19 is also a duty as citizens.
"We are taking measures to protect people from the disease during the election period. So, we are doing our work step by step by taking a holistic approach for the health of the people, their security and to ensure they perform their responsibilities and also enjoy their rights," she said.
The state counsellor stressed that arrangements are also underway for the voting of quarantined persons and for people at the hospitals to fully enjoy their citizen rights.
"We don't want people to get depressed because of COVID-19 and it should be kept in mind that serious fear or worry will not be good. People need to believe that the union government is doing its best."
Suu Kyi also urged the public to unite the strength to overcome COVID-19 and also conduct the election successfully.
Myanmar's general elections 2020 will be held on Nov. 8 and the five-year term of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) government will end in March 2021.
Myanmar reported 18,781 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 444 deaths as of Monday, according to the latest figures released by the Health and Sports Ministry.
