Dr. Tin Mar Aung hasn’t always made her troubled home state of Rakhine the focus of her political attention. As assistant to National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi from 2011 to 2016, she has also had to attend to matters affecting the rest of the country. But in this year’s election, she is running as a candidate for a party that puts Rakhine affairs front and center—the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD).

In her bid to represent Taungup township’s constituency 2 in the Rakhine state parliament, she is up against some stiff competition. The big three—the NLD, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP)—are all contesting the southern Rakhine constituency, as are the Arakan National Party (ANP) and an independent candidate. But she’s hoping that her outlook as someone who was once close to Myanmar’s center of power and her commitment to meeting the needs of her state will prove to be a winning combination.

She spoke to Myanmar Now recently about what she hopes to achieve for the people of Rakhine state, and what she thinks the country as a whole will need to do to end its decades of conflict.

Can you tell us why you decided to run in this year’s election?   

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I have been working for the development of Rakhine state through the Dr. Saw Mya Aung Foundation, but I’ve found that this hasn’t been quite as effective as it should be. And we’re seeing the Rakhine people suffering in poverty, in an environment that isn’t fair or just for them. So I decided to run to become a state representative so I could work more efficiently within parliament.

And why did you choose to represent the Arakan League for Democracy?

The ALD was founded by my dear father, Dr. Saw Mya Aung, in 1988. I truly believe in the party’s policies and feel that they align with my own personal beliefs.

As a former aide to Aung San Suu Kyi, were you ever personally offered a chance to work in the government or with the NLD in any capacity?

No, this is not something we ever discussed, even once. Since completing my duties, I have not had any affiliation with the NLD.

What do you think of the way the Aung San Suu Kyi-led government has handled issues related to Muslim people in Rakhine state?

This is an extremely intricate subject. I think it’s difficult to solve a problem that has existed for many years.

Hundreds of people have died as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. What are your thoughts on this situation?

The people who are suffering these losses are our citizens. This is a loss to our country.

I’m deeply saddened that civilians have died and that families have lost their homes as a result of these conflicts. But I don’t think they will stop as long as there are no negotiations.

How important do you think constitutional reform is to making progress towards peace?

I don’t think there will ever be nationwide peace until we have a just constitution. That’s why I think a better, faster approach would be to adopt a new constitution, rather than just amending the existing 2008 constitution.

After the last election in 2015, the NLD was able to form a government for the first time. How would you assess their performance since then?

Now that they have ruled almost a full five years, we can say that they are still having difficulties dealing with the issues of peace and the rule of law.

Now that you have entered politics, what do you hope to achieve?

I decided to enter politics because I want to work more effectively to promote Rakhine state’s development. I want to work for a better Rakhine. The most important thing is to do your duty as well as you possibly can. If you fail to do so, then you haven’t fulfilled your responsibilities.

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Under article 261 of the 2008 constitution, the president directly appoints chief ministers to lead the governments of each state and region. Some, however, believe that the state and regional parliaments should be able to choose their own chief ministers. What is your take on this?

As I said before, I think we need to adopt a new constitution instead of reforming the current one. I don’t know if the NLD plans to amend article 261, but I can only hope that they will come up with a better way of doing this, and I think they should lay out their plan on the table for the public to decide.

What have you been doing so far in terms of campaigning?

I believe the only way we can work effectively for the good of the people of Taungup and the people of Rakhine is by making and discussing proposals in parliament. I will prove myself with my actions, so that the voters of Taungup can put their trust in me as their representative. If I am elected, I am determined to work together with other members of parliament to create a better tomorrow in Rakhine, starting from today.

The NLD and the ANP are both very influential in Taungup. What are your thoughts on what is sure to be a tough race?

When I was young and taking part in swimming competitions, I always focused on doing my best right from the starting line, rather than on winning over others. In the same way, I will do my best and contest honestly in this election.

There have been rumors that you have been in negotiations with the NLD since you left your position as personal aide to Aung San Suu Kyi. Is there anything you’d like to say about this?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and everyone is free to believe whatever they want. As I mentioned before, I completed my duty [with the NLD] as promised. After that, I made another promise and worked for more than four years outside of parliament for the development of Rakhine. Now I’m running for a seat in parliament as an ALD candidate because I believe this will be the most effective way for me to continue my work in parliament.