Jakarta. Indonesia has yet to decide whether Jakarta will send an observer to Myanmar’s elections, which is now less than two months away, according to Foreign Minister Sugiono.

Myanmar will begin its general polls on Dec. 28, about four years after the military junta overthrew the democratically elected leadership. The crisis-hit country has invited ASEAN members to send some representatives to monitor the elections on the ground. The Southeast Asian grouping has ruled out sending observers under the ASEAN banner, but the bloc is letting its members deploy a team of their own under bilateral settings if they wish.

Sugiono told the press on Wednesday that the Indonesian government had not reached a decision.

“We [Indonesia] have not decided yet [whether to send an observation team]. However, I have stated that we [Indonesia] would want an inclusive election, but that would depend on Myanmar's side,” Sugiono said in his office.

The minister disclosed more details about Myanmar’s election pitch at the Kuala Lumpur summit. Myanmar had sent U Hau Khan Sum, the permanent secretary of its foreign ministry, to the high-profile gathering. 

“Myanmar said at the time that the election process was inclusive enough, while making many justifications to their statement,” Sugiono explained.

The junta-run vote has been subject to massive skepticism, with many calling it a disguise to legitimize military rule. Myanmar even rolled out a new law that would slap harsh sanctions on any complaints related to the polls. 

News agency The Irrawaddy recently reported that the Myanmar junta had put at least 94 people behind bars for criticizing the polls, ten of whom only made social media comments.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is one of the many skeptics, doubting the election’s fairness. Guterres said: “I don’t think anybody believes those elections will contribute to the solution of the problems of Myanmar.”

Filipino President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently admitted that ASEAN members had slight differences in opinion in regards to the contest. Manila, the 2026 ASEAN chair, plans on pushing the group to take a common position. If ASEAN fails to reach a consensus, Marcos had said that the Philippines “would move by itself”.

In their joint statement issued on Oct. 26, ASEAN insisted that “the cessation of violence and inclusive political dialogue must precede elections”. 

The campaign season has already begun with the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) joining the rally. The USDP is expected to win the most seats.

The election is expected to take place in phases, with the second round slated for Jan. 11. Pro-democracy parties are either banned or refusing to run. Myanmar’s deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in jail to this day.

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