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A Malaysian representative, Mr. Mohamad Hasan, declared that the general elections organised by the military leadership of Myanmar will not be certified by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In the eyes of many, the elections are viewed as a ploy to legitimise the junta’s rule through political means in Myanmar.
Photo source: Arnaud Jaegers, via Unsplash, May 7th, 2017.
23-01-2026 | Dominik Miklósi | Asia Researcher, Global Human Rights Defence.
On January 20th, 2026, the foreign minister of Malaysia, Mohamad Hasan, announced that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not support or recognise the elections to be held in the military-led Myanmar. He attributed this to the concerns arising over the lack of fairness and inclusivity in electoral participation. Human rights organisations have condemned the elections, stating it is a sham democracy attempt by the junta to validate its authority.
It is the first time general elections have taken place in Myanmar since the January 2021 coup d’état carried out by the military. Although the Southeast Asian country is ravaged by civil war between the army and rebel forces, the regime has called elections to solidify its power from the world’s perspective. The junta-controlled voting process comprises three rounds, and it is only conducted in territories governed by the army. It commenced on December 28th, 2025, and is scheduled to conclude on January 25th, 2026. Since there is no real opposition running in the elections, an overwhelming victory of the current leadership is expected. However, there is a substantial likelihood that the result will not affect the ongoing civil war in any context.
The general elections in Myanmar have been subject to widespread criticism since their announcement, including Western states and the United Nations (UN). Now, it has been made clear that 11-member ASEAN, including Malaysia, will not endorse them either. According to Mr. Hasan, “We have said that ASEAN will not send observers, and by virtue of that, we will not certify the poll”. Despite the foreign minister’s statement on the matter, several individual member states of the regional bloc provided election observers in accordance with Myanmar’s request. The standpoint from countries, the UN, and human rights groups that the elections are an endeavour to legitimise authority has been heavily rejected by the military junta.
