‘Healthy’ Suu Kyi ready for court

Myanmar’s junta chief says the deposed civilian leader is in good health and will appear in court this week during the general’s first television interview since the coup.

Aung San Suu Kyi. Picture: AFP

Myanmar’s junta chief has said deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health and will appear in court this week during the general’s first television interview since the coup.

Min Aung Hlaing, who toppled Suu Kyi in a February 1 putsch, gave a two-hour interview to Hong Kong’s Phoenix Television on Thursday, with the full program yet to air.

“Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She’s been staying at home and will appear in court in a few days,” he said in an excerpt released on Saturday.

Asked about Ms Suu Kyi’s political achievements, the military leader said: “In short, she has done everything she can.”

Ms Suu Kyi has not been seen in public since she was placed under house arrest, after which she was hit with a string of criminal charges including flouting coronavirus restrictions during last year’s election campaign and possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies.

The most serious charge ­alleges that she violated the country’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Ms Suu Kyi is expected to ­appear in person in court on Monday for the first time, after weeks of delays to her legal case. Her legal team has faced an uphill battle to meet its client in private.

The junta on Friday threatened to dissolve Ms Suu Kyi’s ­National League for Democracy (NLD) party over alleged voter fraud in the November election. Union Election Commission chair Thein Soe said an investigation into the poll result was ­almost complete.

“What shall we do with the (NLD) party that (acted) ­illegally? Should we dissolve the party or charge those who committed this (illegal activity) as traitors of the nation? We will analyse and consider taking this action,” he said, in a video posted to a local media outlet’s Facebook page.

Min Aung Hlaing has justified his power grab by citing ­alleged electoral fraud in the election, which was won by the NLD in a landslide.

But the Asian Network for Free Elections monitoring group has said “the results of the 2020 general elections were, by and large, representative of the will of the people”.

Upon seizing power, the military announced a one-year state of emergency and said it would be followed by fresh multi-party elections. “What we want to achieve is a federal state based on multi-party democracy and confederation. If the situation permits, we hope to achieve this within a year, and if not, we will postpone it for six months,” Min Aung Hlaing told Phoenix TV.

Local media ­reported on Thursday that the junta had ­removed a mandatory retirement age for generals, which would allow Min Aung Hlaing to continue serving once he turns 65 in July. The junta leader said he had “no idea” when asked about his future plans.

Myanmar has been in chaos and its economy paralysed since the coup and, according to a local monitoring group, more than 800 people have died as the military cracks down on dissent.

Min Aung Hlaing disputed the death toll during his TV ­appearance, estimating the number of deaths at 300 and saying 47 police had been killed and 200 injured.

A group of ousted MPs have formed a shadow National Unity Government in an attempt to undermine the junta.