People in Myanmar are feeling hopeful and optimistic following the first free election in 25 years, but there is still a long road ahead, an Australian journalist working in the country says.
Kayleigh Long, who writes for the Myanmar Times, told SBS News the election, which democracy campaigner and National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi looks set to win, was just the beginning of a long road for the country.
There were particularly concerns the military might not honour its word to accept the final election results.
"Everybody’s very hopeful but there are a lot of concerns there could be a repeat of what happened in 1990 [when the military disregarded the results and took control of the country]," she said.
"It doesn’t seem possible at this point - there’s just so much optimism from people and you’re seeing people gathering in the streets, which they weren’t able to do before under the military government - but that’s not to say we’re out of the woods yet.
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"For most people it’s just about having a say – there’s been repressive governments in place for many years now and we have people casting their first ever votes and that counts for something."
Ms Long said outside of the main cities, like Yangon, the mood was slightly different with ethnic candidates and their parties very popular in some areas.
However she said the NLD was also "very popular in many ethnic areas" and in the Rakhine state, where she had been based during the election, she had seen the party "claim a wide number of seats".
"At the moment there’s a real sense of jubilation, particularly in central Myanmar and Yangon, there’s been partying in the streets, but I think now will be the real test," she said.
Ms Long said with the military still holding an unelected 25 per cent block of seats, any constitutional changes seemed unlikely and "it's at best a 75 per cent democracy at the moment".
"We should have a much clearer idea within the next two days [of the final result], but in terms of who will actually lead the government, there won’t be a president appointed until maybe March at the earliest," she said.
"[Suu Kyi] has been very bold. In a press conference the other day she said ‘it’s her party, no matter what she would be above the president’, which is a very, very bold statement to make.
"But realistically there’s a possibility she could be speaker. It all depends on so many contingencies. A prime ministerial role isn’t entirely out of the question."
