Myanmar's acting president Myint Swe dies after long illness

He took on the role after the army seized power in 2021 from the government of Aung San Suu Kyi

Myint Swe, Myanmar’s acting president, has died aged 74 after a prolonged illness. AP

Myint Swe, 74, who became Myanmar’s acting president when the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi more than four years ago, died on Thursday, the military said.

He died at a military hospital in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Thursday morning, according to a statement from Myanmar’s military information office.

Mr Swe's death came more than a year after he stopped actively carrying out his presidential duties after he was publicly reported to be ailing. His funeral will be held at the state level but the date has not been disclosed, a separate statement from the military information office said.

State media reported on Tuesday that he had been in critical condition and receiving intensive care since July 24 at a military hospital in Naypyitaw.

State media announced in July last year that Mr Swe was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease, which left him unable to carry out normal daily activities, including eating. A few days later, he authorised Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government, to assume his presidential duties while he was on medical leave, the reports said.

Mr Swe became acting president on February 1, 2021, after the military arrested former president Win Myint along with Myanmar’s top leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, when the army seized power.

From left, Myanmar's Vice President Henny VanThio, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, former president Win Myint and acting president Myint Swe in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. EPA

Mr Swe, a member of a pro-military party, took over the presidency under the constitution because he held the post of first vice president. Legal experts questioned the legitimacy of the move because Mr Myint neither stepped down from his post nor was incapacitated.

As acting president, Mr Swe chaired the National Defence and Security Council, which is nominally a constitutional government body, but in practice is controlled by the military. The council operates as the country’s top decision-making body related to national security, with the authority to declare a state of emergency and oversee military and defence affairs.

Mr Swe’s appointment and acquiescence to the army’s demands 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.

Mr Swe was chief minister of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, under the quasi-civilian government between 2011 and 2016, and led its regional military command for years under the previous military government, which stepped down in 2011.

During Buddhist monk-led popular protests in 2007 known internationally as the Saffron Revolution, he took charge of restoring order after weeks of unrest in the city, overseeing a crackdown that killed dozens of people. Hundreds of others were arrested.

Though he did not have a prominent international profile, Mr Swe played a key role in the military and politics. In 2002, he participated in the arrest of family members of former dictator Ne Win, according to accounts in Myanmar media.

He also arrested former Gen. Khin Nyunt at Yangon Airport during a 2004 purge of the former prime minister and his supporters that involved a power struggle inside the military. Soon afterward, Mr Swe took command of the sprawling military intelligence apparatus that had been Khin Nyunt’s power base.

Mr Swe was among military leaders sanctioned by the US Treasury Department following the military takeover and arrest of de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians in February 2021.