Myanmar's military chief pledges apolitical duty to nation's defence

MYANMAR: -- Army commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has offered his assurance that the military will carry out its national defence duties regardless of the form that the government sworn into power next year takes, The Irrawaddy reported.

Min Aung Hlaing posted the message on his Facebook account on Monday, stating: “Whichever government is in office and whichever political system is adopted, the main duty of the Tatmadaw [Myanmar Armed Forces] is national defence.”

His remarks come amid an uncertain transition period as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) prepares to form a new government, following her party’s landslide Nov 8 election victory.

Suu Kyi has met separately with Min Aung Hlaing, outgoing President Thein Sein and Than Shwe, the reclusive leader of Myanmar’s former junta.

Min Aung Hlaing also said the Myanmar Army was duty-bound to ensure peace and stability in the region, tasks that necessary required the military to “have combat capacity and power. Intensive training is of great importance,” read the post.

He told military members that there should not be armed conflicts “on the path to a multi-party democratic system in Myanmar.”

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/myanmars-military-chief-pledges-apolitical-duty-to-nations-defence


-- Thai PBS 2015-12-09

So similar to Thailand's military then