MYANMAR – Myanmar’s acting president U Myint Swe died on Thursday morning after succumbing to a long illness that had placed him in intensive care unit at a military hospital in the capital, Naypyitaw.

Since early 2023, he had experienced slower movement and difficulty eating. Test results showed that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders.

He also underwent medical treatment at Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Medical Center in April last year.

Myint Swe became acting president after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

Last month, the military junta formed a commission to oversee general elections later this year, effectively signaling the end of the state of emergency rule.

Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing also appointed himself acting president in the wake of U Myint’s illness.

The 2021 military takeover ousted the elected government led by the National League for Democracy and plunged the country into more than four years of emergency rule.

Min Aung also announced the formation of a new government under U Nyo Saw, a close associate of the junta chief.

The junta also announced a new Union Election Commission and named its chairman.