BANGKOK (AP) — Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar’s military-government, on Monday also took the position of acting president to replace the holder of that post who was unable to perform his duties due to health problems, state media reported.
The announcement of the declaration naming Min Aung Hlaing to replace Myint Swe came four days after his predecessor was publicly reported to be ailing.
It came about a week before the procedures have to be carried out to renew the state of emergency the military originally declared after it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.
The announcement of the new appointment, broadcast on state-run MRTV television, said Min Aung Hlaing received an official letter from the acting president’s office on Monday, authorizing him to carry out the duties of the acting president in order to deal as needed with matters related to the National Defense and Security Council while Myint Swe is absent on medical leave.
The council, which is formally led by the president, is nominally a constitutional government body, but in practice is controlled by the military. It plays a key role in renewing the state of emergency every six months, allowing the military broad extra-constitutional powers. Legally, the president, or in Myint Swe’s case the acting president, is the one who must endorse renewals.
The military claims a state of emergency is needed to deal with instability caused by armed opponents of military rule, who are fighting against the army in most parts of the country.
State media announced last Thursday that Myint Swe was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease. It said he has been receiving medical treatment since early this year and still cannot carry out normal daily activities, including eating food.
Myint Swe became acting president under controversial circumstances after the 2021 military takeover, when President Win Myint was arrested along with Myanmar’s top leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Myint Swe, a member of a pro-military party, took over the presidency because he held the post of first vice president.
The move, whose legitimacy was questioned by legal experts, allowed the council to be convened to declare a state of emergency and hand over power to Min Aung Hlaing, who led the army’s takeover.
Min Aung Hlaing currently chairs the ruling military council and the military-installed-government. He declared himself prime minister six months after the takeover.
