Survey of Myanmar Public Opinion March 9 –April 1- 2017-IRI Releases Survey of Burmese Public Opinion

IRI Releases Survey of Burmese Public Opinion
AUGUST 22, 2017
Yangon, Myanmar—The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research today
released a new poll surveying Burmese public opinion.
The survey sample size consisted of 3,000 citizens of Burma, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percent. IRI has worked in
Burma since 2012, and provided assistance to Burmese civil society organizations for more than 25 years. IRI’s program is dedicated
to strengthening Burma’s representative institutions and civil society organizations through public opinion polling, workshops and
consultations that allow policymakers to more effectively address citizens’ concerns.
Tagged: Asia,Burma

Survey of Burma/Myanmar
Public Opinion
March 9 – April 1, 2017

2
• Period : March 9, 2017 - April 1, 2017
• Survey Type : In-person, in-home interviews
• Eligibility : The survey is a national representative sample of voting age adults, age 18+.
• Total Respondents : n = 3,000
• Data was collected by Myanmar Survey Research under the supervision of Rob Varsalone of Global Strategic
Partners and the International Republican Institute.
• A multi-stage probability sample was used. The sample was distributed into 300 primary sampling units
(PSU) which were then stratified by region. Townships were selected through the Probability-Proportionate-
to-Size (PPS) method and the sample was further stratified by location. The equal-sized village tracts were
selected by simple random sampling (SRS) and then the PSUs were selected through PPS.
• Within each PSU, systematic random sampling was used to select the households. Within each household
the respondent was selected through the Kish Grid.
• At the midrange the survey has a confidence interval of plus and minus 1.8 percent with a confidence level
of 95 percent. The response rate was 63 percent.
• The information in this report has been compiled in accordance with international standards for market and
social research methodologies. Figures in charts and tables may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding
error.
Detailed Methodology

3
Burma/Myanmar Geographical Zones
Hill zone
Kachin
Chin
Shan
Kayah
Kayin
Plains zone
Sagaing
Mandalay
Magway
Naypyitaw
Coastal zone
Rakhine
Bago
Ayeyarwaddy
Yangon
Mon
Tanintharyi

In general, would you say that things in the country are heading in
the right direction or that they are heading in the wrong
direction?
5
88%
6%
6%
Right direction Wrong direction Don't know/No response
Apr-17
75%
16%
9%
Feb-14

Why do you say “right direction”?*
(n=2,249)
6
Infrastructure 40%
Roads are being paved and bridges are
being built
37%
Other 3%
Economy 18%
Economic conditions have improved 12%
There are more jobs 4%
Other 2%
Democracy/Freedom 6%
People can speak their mind about
politics
4%
Other 2%
Security 10%
Security has improved 4%
Ethnic conflict has declined 3%
Other 3%
New Government – Misc. 5%
Don’t know/No response 9%
*Responses less than 3 percent have been excluded for the purposes of this slide.
Social Services 6%
More people have access to education 3%
Other 3%

Why do you say “wrong direction”?
(n=493)
7
Economy 53%
Poor economic conditions 21%
Prices are higher 21%
Crop prices are lower 7%
There are fewer jobs 3%
Other 1%
Peace Process/Violence 20%
Ethnic violence 12%
Slow progress in the peace process 5%
Sectarian violence 3%
Problems with Youth 3%
Law and Order 14%
Crime is worse 5%
No rule of law/transparency 4%
Security has declined 3%
Other 2%
Infrastructure 3%

How would you describe the security situation in the country?
8
19%
50%
19%
7%
5%
Very good
Good
Bad
Very bad
Don't know/No response

How would you describe the
political situation in the
country?
9
14%
38%
34%
7%
7%
Very stable
Somewhat stable
Somewhat unstable
Very unstable
Compared to a year ago, has the
political situation become more
stable, stayed the same, or
become less stable?
38%
30%
28%
4%
More stable
Same
Less stable

How would you describe the current economic situation in the
country?
10
12%
10%
73%
53%
11%
22%
1%
9%
4%
6%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Very good Somewhat good Somewhat bad Very bad Don't know/No response

Thinking now about your personal economic situation, compared to a
year ago, has it improved, stayed the same or worsened?
11
40%
39%
45%
37%
16%
23%
1%
1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Feb-14
Apr-17
57%
55%
24%
26%
2%
9%
17%
10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Improved Same Worse Don't know/No response
Thinking about the upcoming year, do you expect your personal economic
situation to get better, stay the same or get worse?

Which one of these phrases comes
closest to your own feelings about
your household's income these days?
12
14%
56%
20%
9%
1%
Living comfortably on present income
Getting by on present income
Finding it difficult on present income
Finding it very difficult on present income
How would you describe your
household’s current standard of living?
5%
61%
23%
8%
3%
Very good
Good
Bad
Very bad

2%
44%
8%
13%
6%
4%
13%
9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
90-100%
80-90%
70-80%
60-70%
50-60%
About 50%
Less than 50%
Every week, what percentage of your income would you say you
spend on basic needs, such as food, clothing and housing?
13

What are the three biggest problems facing the country as a whole?
(open-ended)
15
Issue First mention Second mention Third mention Total
Economy 25% 32% 26% 83%
No jobs 11% 14% 9% 34%
High prices 7% 8% 8% 23%
Low crop prices 4% 5% 4% 13%
Conflict 18% 16% 15% 49%
Civil war/peace process 9% 8% 3% 20%
Sectarian conflict 5% 5% 9% 19%
Ethnic violence 4% 3% 4% 11%
Law and Order 13% 9% 12% 34%
Security/safety/crime rate 3% 5% 6% 14%
No rule of law 1% 2% 2% 5%
Political Instability 13% 5% 5% 23%
Don’t know/No response 28% 1% 1% 30%

In your opinion, what should be the first priority of the national
government?
(open-ended)
16
Economy 31%
Improve economic conditions 24%
Create more jobs 4%
Other 3%
Ethnic/Sectarian Conflict 25%
Peace process 24%
Other 1%
Development/Infrastructure 11%
Improve the transportation system 5%
Construct hospitals and clinics 3%
Expand electricity access throughout
country
3%
Social Services 6%
Increase education standards 6%

On each of these issues, would you say that they are a serious
problem, somewhat of a problem, or not much of a problem at all?
17
44%
48%
50%
49%
51%
44%
43%
55%
47%
47%
46%
51%
42%
49%
52%
54%
46%
43%
29%
29%
28%
30%
28%
35%
37%
25%
33%
34%
36%
30%
40%
33%
30%
29%
38%
43%
21%
22%
18%
16%
15%
19%
16%
18%
18%
18%
17%
14%
16%
13%
15%
16%
14%
12%
6%
1%
4%
5%
6%
3%
4%
3%
2%
1%
2%
6%
2%
5%
3%
1%
2%
2%
Corruption
Lack of water
Environmental issues
Crime
Land-grabbing
Housing
Lack of support for farmers
Terrorism
Education quality
Low quality of healthcare
Unemployment
Ethnic conflict
Lack of infrastructure
Political instability
Sectarian conflict
Ability to get medical care
Low income
Price increases
Problem Somewhat of a problem Not much of a problem at all Don't know/No response

In order to amend the Constitution it would require the support of
more than 75 percent of parliament. Do you support or oppose
making it easier to amend the Constitution by changing this
requirement?
18
48%
32%
4%
5%
11%
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose

If you could only have one or the other, which is more important
to you: a democratic system of government or a prosperous
economy?
20
24%
11%
20%
40%
5%
Democracy is definitely
more important to me
Democracy is somewhat
Prosperity is somewhat
Prosperity is definitely

Do you agree or disagree with each of these statements:
21
In a democracy, the economic system runs badly
3%
13%
7%
20%
30%
28%
9%
33%
21%
5%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/No Response
Democracies aren't any good at maintaining law and order
2%
10%
7%
19%
28%
28%
37%
34%
27%
10%
Feb-14
Apr-17
3%
19%
14%
29%
20%
20%
29%
23%
34%
10%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Democracies are indecisive and have too much squabbling
Democracy may have problems, but it is better than any other form of government
50%
41%
26%
40%
3%
7%
1%
6%
21%
7%
Feb-14
Apr-17

When it comes to the democratic process in Burma/Myanmar, over
the past year, do you think that things have gotten better, worse,
or stayed the same?
22
54%
31%
8%
7%
Better
Same
Worse

In your opinion, are people in Burma/Myanmar afraid to openly
express their political views?
23
34%
26%
37%
3%
Most are afraid
Some are afraid
For the most part no one is afraid

25
20%
24%
69%
58%
4%
8%
1%
3%
6%
8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Very good job Good job Bad job Very bad job Don't know/No response
Generally speaking, do you think the national government is doing
a good job or a bad job?

Rate the national government’s performance on each of the following:
26
20%
22%
22%
28%
29%
29%
29%
30%
30%
31%
31%
32%
35%
36%
38%
44%
44%
45%
46%
52%
45%
53%
44%
42%
43%
52%
42%
43%
49%
49%
43%
50%
46%
47%
50%
42%
41%
38%
41%
39%
18%
13%
17%
14%
13%
8%
13%
13%
10%
10%
11%
7%
10%
10%
5%
8%
8%
8%
7%
5%
10%
7%
10%
11%
11%
4%
10%
10%
5%
6%
7%
4%
5%
5%
3%
4%
5%
7%
4%
3%
8%
4%
7%
6%
5%
7%
7%
3%
7%
4%
7%
6%
5%
2%
5%
2%
3%
1%
2%
1%
Controlling inflation
Employment
Housing
Fighting corruption
Fighting crime
Democratic reforms
Ending sectarian conflict
Poverty reduction
Land rights
Preserving the environment
Ending ethnic conflict
Ethnic-based equality
Peace process
Delivering quality healthcare
Gender equality
Improving education
Water sanitation
Electricity availability
Water availability
Development of roads/bridges
Very good Good Bad Very bad Don't know/No response

27
20%
30%
45%
46%
4%
5%
1%
2%
31%
17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Feb-14
Apr-17
Very good job Good job Bad job Very bad job Don't know/No response
Do you think the Union Parliament is doing a good job or a bad job?

Do you think your state/regional parliament is doing a good job or
a bad job?
28
28%
50%
4%
2%
16%
Very good job
Good job
Bad job
Very bad job

29
Very good Good Bad Very bad
Don’t know/No
response
Chin 47% 43% 0% 0% 10%
Ayeyarwaddy 39% 48% 3% 3% 8%
Tanintharyi 38% 51% 8% 1% 3%
Kayin 33% 34% 4% 0% 30%
Sagaing 29% 51% 2% 1% 17%
Magway 28% 50% 3% 1% 18%
Mandalay 28% 50% 2% 2% 18%
Yangon 27% 50% 4% 2% 17%
Bago 25% 53% 5% 2% 16%
Rakhine 24% 47% 8% 8% 14%
Shan 24% 51% 8% 2% 15%
Mon 21% 58% 4% 3% 13%
Naypyitaw 21% 50% 1% 1% 26%
Kachin 19% 44% 12% 2% 23%
Kayah 15% 30% 5% 5% 45%
Do you think your state/region parliament is doing a good job or a bad job?
(Disaggregated data)

Thinking some more about the performance of the national
government, how long do you think it will take them to start
delivering results for the Burmese people?
17%
1%
12%
16%
22%
31%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
They have had enough time already
Within the next year
Within two years
Within three years
By the end of their term in 2020
30

Do you support giving the states/regions more autonomy and power so
that they can make decisions for themselves, or do you think that all
power and decisions should be centralized and made by the union
government?
32
23%
67%
10%
Support more autonomy and power for states and regions
Support centralized power and decisions made by the union government
Apr-17 Feb-14
35%
57%
8%

Do you support giving the states/regions more autonomy and power so
that they can make decisions for themselves, or do you think that all
power and decisions should be centralized and made by the union
government?
(Disaggregated Data)
33
Apr-2017 Feb-2014
Autonomous Centralized Autonomous Centralized
Urban 22% 69% 35% 59%
Rural 23% 67% 35% 57%
Bamar 17% 74% 30% 62%
Non-Bamar 35% 52% 47% 47%
Hill Zone 27% 57% 39% 35%
Plains Zone 19% 71% 25% 65%
Coastal Zone 24% 69% 40% 53%

Would you prefer that provinces elect
their own Chief Minister, or should
they be appointed by the union
government?
34
Would you support or oppose
provinces having more control over
their natural resources?
26%
5%
14%
27%
8%
Strongly support Somewhat support
Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
49%
43%
9%
Prefer provinces elect their Chief Minister
Prefer Chief Minister appointed by nat'l government

Centralized/Autonomous
(Disaggregated Data)
35
Chief minister elected by
provinces or appointed by union
government
Provinces should have more
control over natural resources
Provinces elect Union appoint Support Oppose
Urban 59% 28% 47% 46%
Rural 48% 43% 53% 39%
Bamar 48% 45% 45% 49%
Non-Bamar 51% 38% 64% 25%
Hill Zone 47% 39% 59% 28%
Plains Zone 45% 46% 48% 43%
Coastal Zone 52% 42% 50% 45%

Thinking now about the 2015
national elections, did you vote in
the elections?
37
84%
16%
Yes
No
77%
14%
7%
2%
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Somewhat unlikely
Very unlikely
How likely, if at all, are you to vote
in the next national elections in
2020?

17%
10%
2%
4%
12%
23%
34%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Other
Family ties
Ethnicity
Quality of their
candidates
The party leader
Party platform
What is the most important reason for you in choosing a political
party?
38

In the past year have you been
contacted by a member of the
national or state/region
parliament?
39
3%
96%
1%
Yes
No
Thinking now about the future,
would you welcome contact from a
Member of Parliament or political
party?
81%
16%
3%
Yes
No

Which of the following forms of contact would you welcome from
a Member of Parliament or political party?
40
35%
47%
53%
60%
66%
69%
81%
34%
33%
33%
28%
29%
23%
18%
31%
20%
14%
12%
5%
9%
2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
E-mail
SMS
Approach in a public
place, like market or
town square
Phone call
Attend a rally
Attend neighborhood
meeting
Visit at my home
Yes No Don't know/No response
Visit at my home
Approach in a
public place, like
market or town
square
Phone call
SMS
E-mail
Attend
neighborhood
meeting
Attend a rally

If there are two candidates running for office and they have the
same qualifications aside from the fact that one is a man and one
is a woman, which candidate are you more likely to support?
41
48%
24%
25%
3%
Apr-17 Feb-14
53%
26%
14%
7%
Man Woman Makes no difference Don't know/Refused to answer

If there are two candidates running for office and they have the same
qualifications aside from the fact that one is a man and one is a
woman, which candidate are you more likely to support?
(Disaggregated data)
42
44%
63%
38%
13%
10%
17%
8%
7%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Women
Men
Prefer man Prefer women Makes no difference Don't know/No response

Politicians do not listen to the
needs and ideas of women.
43
6%
13%
31%
44%
6%
Politicians do not listen to the
needs and ideas of young people.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
6%
13%
30%45%
6%
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/No response

Do you ever use Facebook?
45
25%
75%
Yes
No
70%
20%
5%
5%
Almost every day
At least once a week
At least once a month
Rarely, if ever
How often do you use Facebook?
(n=745)

What do you like most about
Facebook?
(Open-ended, n=745)
46
Response Percent
Watching/reading international and
local news
73%
Chatting with children/friends 6%
Reading fashion designs, status
updates,
photos uploaded by friends
5%
Reading poems, novels, and comics 4%
Response Percent
Fake news 24%
Embarrassing videos, photos, scandals 22%
Abusive/offensive/threatening
language
10%
Chatting, commenting and posting 5%
Posting statuses and photos that attack
religion, ethnicities
4%
What do you like least about
Facebook?
(Open-ended, n=745)

When it comes to the sources from which you get your news, to what
extent do you rely on Facebook for your news? Would you say that:
(n=745)
47
38%
35%
17%
10%
You get most, if not all, of your news from Facebook
You get some of your news from Facebook but from other sources as well
You mostly get news from other sources, and get only a little news from Facebook
You rarely get news from Facebook, if at all

Do you ever see posts about conflict - such as ethnic or religious
conflict - in Burma/Myanmar on Facebook?
(n=745)
48
24%
36%
22%
16%
2%
Yes, almost every day
At least once a week
At least once a month
Rarely, if ever

Have you ever asked a Facebook friend to not share graphic
information related to ethnic or religious conflict?
(n=745)
49
11%
19%
69%
1%
Yes, frequently
Sometimes
Rarely, if ever

When it comes to the content you see on Facebook, to what
extent do you think it is true?
(n=745)
50
5%
55%
29%
3%
8%
I think almost all of it is true
I think most of it is true
I think most of it is false
I think almost all of it is false

5%
3%
1%
1%
8%
14%
17%
19%
32%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Other
Internet
Village head
Newspapers
Facebook
Radio
Relatives/friends
TV
Where are you most likely to get your news and information?
51

Does your household own a
mobile phone?
52
87%
13%
Does your household own a SIM
card?
(n=2,603)
99%
1%
Yes No

1%
1%
1%
1%
3%
95%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Other
Internet
Games
Facebook
Phone calls
Which of the following do you use your mobile phone for the most?
(n=2,603)
53

71%
2%
2%
4%
4%
17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Never
A few times a year
Once a month
Once a week
A few times a week
Every day
On average, how often do you use the Internet?
54

When you do use the Internet, from where do you most regularly
access the Internet?
55
1%
27%
71%
Home
Cell phone
Do not use Internet

How often do you read news magazines, journals or newspapers?
56
9%
13%
11%
67%
1%
Every day
Every week
Every month
Less than every day

5%
17%
39%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
2%
2%
3%
3%
4%
17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Cannot get radio signal
None
Other
VOA
Mandalay FM
City FM
Thazin FM
FM channels
DVB
Cherry FM
Pattamyar FM
BBC
Nay Pyi Daw FM
Shwe FM
MRTV
Which radio stations do you listen to regularly?
(Open-ended)
57

58
Demographics
GENDER
Male 50%
Female 50%
RELIGION
Buddhism 91%
Christianity 6%
Islam 2%
Hinduism <1%
EDUCATION LEVEL
Illiterate 6%
No schooling - literate 2%
Monastic schooling 3%
Some primary school 22%
Primary-completed grade 5 39%
Middle-completed grade 9 14%
High school-complete grade 11 6%
Vocational college/diploma 2%
College and above 8%
LOCATION
Urban 32%
Rural 68%
AGE
18-25 13%
26-40 33%
41-55 32%
55+ 22%
REGION / STATE
Yangon 16%
Mandalay 13%
Ayeyarwaddy 12%
Shan 11%
Sagaing 10%
Bago 10%
Magway 8%
Mon 4%
Rakhine 4%
Kachin 3%
Kayin 3%
Tanintharyi 3%
Naypyitaw 2%
Kayah 1%
Chin 1%
ETHNICITY
Bamar 69%
Shan 11%
Kayin 4%
Rakhine 4%
Kachin 2%
Chin 3%
Mon 3%
Burma Indian 2%
Kayah 2%
Burma Chinese 1%
MONTHLY INCOME LEVEL
No household income 1%
1-50,000 Kyat 7%
50,001-100,000 Kyat 17%
100,001-500,000 Kyat 64%
500,001-1,000,000 Kyat 6%
1,000,001 Kyat + 2%
Don't know/No response 4%
ETHNICITY
Bamar 69%
Non-Bamar 32%

www.IRI.org | @IRI_Polls
Center for Insights in Survey Research
202.408.9450 | info@iri.org
http://www.gsp.us.com/

8/24/2017 Mixed results for Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in first major survey
https://burmese.voanews.com/a/myanmar-survey-results/3997693.html 1/5
READ IN ENGLISH
Mixed results for Aung San Suu Kyi’s government
in first major survey
24 ၾသဂုတ္ ၊ 2017 Joe Freeman
Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government received a mix of encouraging and discouraging feedback
in the first major survey of public opinion in Myanmar since the National League for Democracy
(NLD) officially took power more than a year ago.
Carried out from March 9 to April 1 by Myanmar Survey Research under the auspices of the
U.S.-based International Republican Institute (IRI), the poll sought answers from thousands of
residents in 15 different regions and states.
The findings, released on August 22 in Yangon, were all the more revealing when stacked up
against results from a similar IRI survey carried out under the military-backed administration of
President Thein Sein in 2014, with the current government not faring as well by comparison.
Fewer think Myanmar is headed in the right direction
For instance, 88 percent of respondents said the country was headed in the right direction in
2014, versus 75 percent in the new poll. Some 73 percent appraised the economic situation as
“somewhat good” in 2014, versus 53 percent today. Asked if the current government was
doing a “good job,” 58 percent said it was, but that number dipped from 69 percent three
years ago.

The 2014 poll results raised eyebrows among some observers who thought it overstated
support for the military.
In a way, however, the numbers are not shocking. Though Myanmar was still racked by
conflict, Thein Sein headed up welcome reforms that included ending pre-publication
censorship, freeing political prisoners and broadening access to the Internet, creating stark
contrasts with the days of junta rule.
But the military retains significant levels of ministerial and parliamentary control through the
constitution, and some have suggested the NLD's election landslide in 2015 raised unrealistic
hopes that Myanmar would improve rapidly now that Aung San Suu Kyi was at the helm. A
year later, the reality may be settling in.
The questions posed in the survey ranged widely, covering socioeconomic issues, the media,
regional autonomy, natural resources and state-level parliaments, said Darin Bielecki, resident
program officer for IRI.
“We surveyed 3,000 people across the country, which is a very big sample size,” he said.
The opinion poll revealed contrasts between international and local perceptions.
It's the economy
Aung San Suu Kyi has faced criticism for not speaking up in defense of human rights and
ethnic minorities. But in the survey, the performance of the economy weighed most heavily on
the minds of those interviewed, with most saying it should be the number one priority, and 60
percent preferring “prosperity” to a democratic form of government.

Still, there were bright spots.
More than 50 percent of respondents said things had gotten better “when it comes to the
democratic process” over the past year, while only 31 percent said the situation remained the
same and 8 percent thought it had gotten worse. More than a third of respondents said for the
most part people are not afraid to express political views, though only a slightly smaller
number said, “most are afraid.”
Patience
The answers also seemed to hint at a certain patience among the electorate, given the fact
that the NLD has only been in power for about 17 months, and that it inherited problems tied
to decades of military rule. More than a third of respondents said they expected the
government to start delivering more results by the end of their current terms.
The 2015 elections, that elevated the NLD into office, filled national and regional parliaments
with first-time politicians, and that inexperience shows. More than 95 percent of interviewees
said they had not been contacted by a member of the national or state government over the
past year, while 81 percent said they would welcome the engagement.
Fake news
The survey also touched on the media, with most of the respondents listing “fake news” as one
of the things they disliked most about Facebook, and 38 percent saying they got most if not all
of their news from the social media platform.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s government has placed great weight on peace talks with ethnic armed
groups, and has largely advocated a peace before development of a position.
Mixed results for Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in first major survey

Sectarian conflict and the peace process ranked high among concerns, but not above the
economy.
Nyan Win, a member of the NLD’s Central Executive Committee, said while he had not seen
the results of the survey, he is not surprised the economy featured prominently, saying it was
the “most important thing for our country.”
But he reiterated that stopping conflict would have to come first.
“In the first year of the government…their priority is the peace process, peace meetings. And
they don’t neglect the economy, but the economy is not a priority,” he said. “The first priority
is peace, to make peace in the whole country.”
The margin of error in the poll was plus or minus 1.8 percent.

International Republican Institute
Survey of Burma Public Opinion
December 24, 2013 - February 1, 2014

2
• Period : December 24, 2013 - February 1, 2014
• Survey Type : In-person, in-home interviews
• Eligibility : Age 18+. The survey is a national representative sample of voting age adults.
• Total Respondents : n = 3,000
• Data was collected by Myanmar Survey Research under the supervision of Rob Varsalone of Global Strategic
Partners and the International Republican Institute.
• A multi-stage probability sample was used. The sample was distributed into 300 primary sampling units
(PSU) which were then stratified by region. Townships were selected through the Probability-Proportionate-
to-Size (PPS) method and the sample was further stratified by location. The equal-sized village tracts were
selected by simple random sampling (SRS) and then the PSUs were selected through PPS.
• Within each PSU, systematic random sampling was used to select the households. Within each household
the respondent was selected through the Kish Grid.
• At the midrange the survey has a confidence interval of plus and minus two percent with a confidence level
of 95 percent. The response rate was 79 percent.
• The information in this report has been compiled in accordance with international standards for market and
social research methodologies. Figures in charts and tables may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding
error.
• This public opinion poll was funded by the generous support of the American people through the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed herein are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States government.
Detailed Methodology

3
Demographics
* Other includes Chinese, Kokang, Dhanu, Kayin and Pa-O, Chin and Bamar, Palaung, Wa, Khami, Mon and Bamar, Pathi and Tamil
Income level was recorded in Burmese Kyat, the local currency, but reported in US dollars for ease of reference.
GENDER
Male 50%
Female 50%
RELIGION
Buddhism 92%
Christianity 5%
Islam 2%
Hinduism 1%
Other <1%
EDUCATION LEVEL
Illiterate 9%
Literate - No School 2%
Monastic 10%
Some Primary 16%
Primary 37%
Middle 12%
High School 8%
Vocational 1%
College 6%
LOCATION
Urban 31%
Rural 69%
AGE
18-25 11%
26-40 30%
41-55 33%
55+ 26%
REGION / STATE
Ayeyarwady 13%
Yangon 12%
Sagaing 11%
Mandalay 11%
Bago East 10%
Magway 9%
Shan (North) 7%
Mon 5%
Rakhine 5%
Kachin 3%
Kayin 3%
Tanintharyi 3%
Naypyitaw 3%
Shan (South) 2%
Kayah 1%
Chin 1%
ETHNICITY
Bamar 70%
Kayin 6%
Shan 5%
Rakhine 5%
Kachin 2%
Chin 2%
Mon 2%
Myanmar Indian 2%
Kayah 1%
Myanmar Chinese 1%
Pa-O 1%
Other* 4%
MONTHLY INCOME LEVEL
1 – 50 USD 22%
50 - 100 USD 38%
100 - 500 USD 34%
500 - 1,000 USD 2%
1,000 - 2,000 USD 1%
2,000 or more USD <1%

4
Burma Polling Locations
Hill zone
Kachin
Chin
Shan
Kayah
Kayin
Plains zone
Sagaing
Mandalay
Magway
Naypyitaw
Coastal zone
Rakhine
Bago
Ayeyarwady
Yangon
Mon
Tanintharyi

6
Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree
or strongly disagree with each of these statements?
2%
3%
3%
50%
7%
7%
14%
26%
28%
30%
20%
3%
37%
39%
29%
1%
27%
21%
34%
21%
Democracies aren't good at maintaining law and order
In a democracy the economic system runs badly
Democracies are indecisive and have too much
squabbling
Democracy may have problems but it is better than any
other form of government
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree DK/NR

7
What is your opinion about the trend of the following in Burma
compared to a year ago? Is it increased/improved, the same or
decreased/worsened?
62% 23% 1% 14%Women's rights
Improved Stayed more or less the same Worsened DK/NR
62% 17% 1% 20%Democratization
Increased Stayed more or less the same Decreased DK/NR
14% 17% 57% 12%Ethnic / sectarian violence
Decreased Stayed more or less the same Increased DK/NR

8
89%
9%
1% 1%
Would definitely vote Might vote Would not vote DK/NR
If parliamentary elections were held today, how likely is it that you would vote?
Why will you not vote?
I am not interested in politics 30%
I don't have enough information
about the candidates
11%
I don't have time to vote 7%
I am not registered 4%
My vote won't change anything 4%
I don't think the vote will be fair 2%
I don't support any party/candidate 2%
DK/NR 42%
* Would not vote or DK/NR n=57

9
Yes
53%
No
27%
DK/NR
20%
Very
33%
Somewhat
44%
Not at all
4%
DK/NR
20%
How credible do you think the results of the
2015 parliamentary elections will be?
Were the results of the last parliamentary
elections held in 2010 credible to you?

10
Right direction
88%
Wrong direction
6%
DK/NR
6%
In general, would you say that things in Burma are heading in the right
direction or are they heading in the wrong direction?

11
32% Poor economic conditions
21% Ethnic or sectarian violence
12% There is no rule of law or transparency
7% Poor transportation
5% Political problems
5% Traditions eroded, youth more spoiled
3% The Constitution has not been amended
3% DK/NR
35%
Roads are being paved & bridges are being
built
27% Economic conditions have improved
10% The rule of law has improved
6% People can speak their minds about politics
3% Support for education has increased
3% The agricultural sector has improved
8% DK/NR
* Right direction n=2,632; Wrong direction n=182
Right direction
(Open-ended - Only responses >3% shown)
Wrong direction
(Open-ended - Only responses >3% shown)
Why do you think that things in Burma are heading in the right/wrong
direction?

12
How would you describe the current economic situation in Burma?
Improved
40%
Same
45%
Worse
16%
Better
57%
Same
24%
Worse
2%
DK/NR
17%
Compared to a year ago, has your personal
economic situation improved, stayed the same
or worsened?
Do you expect your personal economic
situation in the next year to get better, stay
the same or get worse?
12% 73% 11% 1% 4%
Very good Good Bad Very bad DK/NR

13
What are the three biggest problems facing Burma as a whole?
(Open-ended, responses >1% shown)
19%
16%
9%
7%
5% 5% 5%
3% 3%
1%
1% 1%
8%
6%
4%
5% 5%
4%
3%
2%
1% 1% 1%
2%
1% 1% 1%
1%
1% 1%
1%
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
* Don’t Know / No response is not shown but accounted for 23% of first choice responses, 58% of second choices
and 95% of third choices.

14
How serious of a problem would you say each of the issues below are
in Burma?
41%
41%
49%
52%
53%
54%
54%
58%
58%
69%
71%
72%
73%
75%
76%
79%
79%
35%
35%
35%
34%
32%
30%
21%
26%
26%
23%
20%
20%
18%
18%
16%
15%
17%
17%
17%
10%
8%
11%
13%
5%
7%
9%
7%
8%
6%
7%
6%
5%
5%
3%
8%
8%
6%
6%
4%
3%
20%
9%
7%
2%
1%
3%
3%
1%
4%
1%
1%
Ethnic / sectarian conflict
Gender discrimination
Housing
Environment
Crime
Lack of water
Need for further democratic reforms
Corruption
Terrorism
Lack of infrastructure
Price increases
Medical access
Quality education
Quality healthcare
Insufficient farm aid
Unemployment
Low income
Very Somewhat Not at all DK/NR

15
20% 69% 4%1% 6%
Very good job Good job Bad job Very bad job DK/NR
Generally speaking, do you think the national government is doing a good job or a bad job?
43% 48% 2%<1% 6%
Strongly Approve Somewhat Approve Somewhat Disapprove
Strongly Disapprove DK/NR
Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Thein Sein is handling his job?
20% 45% 4%1% 31%
Strongly approve Somewhat approve Somewhat disapprove
Strongly disapprove DK/NR
Do you approve or disapprove of the job done by the Union Parliament?
Net*
+84
Net
+89
Net
+60
* Net is calculated by the sum of very good/strongly approve and good/approve and minus the sum of very
bad/strongly disapprove and bad/disapprove.

16
9%
9%
10%
10%
10%
12%
12%
13%
13%
14%
14%
15%
16%
16%
17%
18%
32%
42%
47%
30%
42%
42%
48%
53%
42%
58%
52%
56%
53%
55%
62%
57%
56%
55%
35%
25%
38%
28%
23%
28%
12%
31%
17%
17%
17%
21%
18%
10%
15%
13%
7%
8%
6%
16%
8%
6%
8%
1%
11%
4%
5%
3%
7%
4%
1%
4%
2%
2%
5%
14%
7%
12%
20%
5%
21%
3%
8%
12%
11%
4%
8%
10%
7%
11%
4%
Employment
Housing
Poverty reduction
Fighting corruption
Democratic reforms
Fighting crime
Environmental preservation
Improving education
Water availability
Gender equality
Water sanitation
Peace process
Infrastructure development
Very good Good Poor Very poor DK/NR
Please rate the national government’s performance on each of the
following issues:

17
-14%
8%
13%
16%
23%
24%
25%
40%
44%
49%
50%
50%
52%
55%
59%
67%
78%
Employment
Fighting corruption
Housing
Improving education
Environmental preservation
Water availability
Fighting crime
Democratic reforms
Water sanitation
Peace process
Gender equality
Infrastructure development
Poverty reduction
Please rate the national government’s performance on each of the
following issues: (Positive-negative net)*
* Net is calculated by the sum of very good/strongly approve and good/approve and minus the sum of very
bad/strongly disapprove and bad/disapprove.

18
14%
15%
18%
21%
23%
25%
33%
39%
45%
47%
56%
47%
51%
45%
51%
43%
8%
15%
16%
5%
9%
9%
8%
3%
2%
5%
8%
1%
4%
4%
5%
1%
31%
18%
3%
27%
14%
16%
3%
14%
Political parties
Courts
Police
Parliament
Ruling coalition
Opposition
Military
Media
Very Favorable Favorable Unfavorable Very Unfavorable DK/NR
How would you rate each of the following institutions or
organizations: very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat
unfavorable or very unfavorable?

19
Would you welcome contact from a
political party during future
campaigns?
Which of the following forms of contact
would you welcome from a political
party?
* Yes, welcome contact from a political party n=2,722
Yes
91%
No
7%
DK/NR
2%
19%
22%
49%
64%
79%
84%
84%
Email
SMS
Phone call
Approached in a public
place
Attend a rally
Visit at home
Attend a neighborhood
meeting

21
Yes
54%No
32%
DK/NR
15%
Do you support the repeal of the
current constitutional amendment that
bans someone from becoming president
if they have married a foreigner?
Yes
64%
No
21%
DK/NR
15%
Knowing Aung San Suu Kyi is prevented from
becoming president with the current
constitution, would you now support amending
the constitution so that she would be able to
run?

22
Do you support giving the states and regions more autonomy and power so that
they can make decisions for themselves, or do you think that all such power and
decisions should be centralized and made by the union government?
Autonomous
35%
Centralized
57%
DK/NR
8%
Autonomous Centralized
Coastal zone 40% 53%
Hill zone 39% 55%
Plains zone 25% 65%
Non-Bamar 47% 47%
Bamar 30% 62%

23
In your opinion, how prevalent is corruption
within the government in Burma?
Are you satisfied with the national
government’s efforts to fight corruption?
Very
25%
Somewhat
50%
Not at all
6%
DK/NR
19% Very satisfied
30%
Somewhat
satisfied
42%
Somewhat
unsatisfied
15%
Very
unsatisfied
2% DK/NR
12%

24
33% 20% 35% 7% 5%
Most are afraid Some are afraid
Most are not afraid For the most part no one is afraid
DK/NR
In your opinion are people in Burma afraid to openly express their
political views or not?

26
57%
52%
48%
44%
42%
40% 40%
37%
31%
19%
25%
25%
35% 35% 34%
36%
31%
37%
24% 23%
27%
22% 23%
26%
24%
32% 32%
They
support
women
They have
young
leaders
They
support
democratic
reforms
They care
about
people like
me
Their
policies
help the
poor
They are
trustworthy
They have
strong
leadership
They have
good
policies
They fight
corruption
National League for Democracy (NLD)
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)
DK/NR
Which party do you think best reflects each statement?

27
41%
38%
33% 33%
30%
25%
37% 38% 39% 40%
43%
49%
22%
24%
29%
27% 27% 26%
Improving
education
Improving
healthcare
Ending ethnic
conflict
Improving the
economy
Strengthening
the nation
Improving
security
NLD USDP DK/NR
Which party do you think would do a better job on the following:

28
What is the most important reason for you in
choosing a political party?
13%
1%
4%
12%
34%
36%
DK/NR
Family ties
Ethnicity
Candidate quality
Party platform
Party leader

29
If there are two candidates campaigning for the same elected office with exactly
the same qualifications, which one would you be more likely to vote for?
Man or woman Young or older
Person new to politics or someone
who has been involved in politics
for a long time
Man
48%
Woman
24%
No
preference
25%
DK/NR
3%
Young
person
41%
Older
person
34%
No
preference
22%
DK/NR
2%
New person
19%
Someone
who has
been around
55%
No
preference
22%
DK/NR
4%

31
8%
14%
11%
68%
Almost every day Once a week
Once a month Less than once a month
How often do you read news magazines or newspapers?
42%
27%
7%
24%
Almost every day Once a week
Once a month Less than once a month
How often do you listen to the radio or watch TV?
2%
1%
1%
2%
2%
8%
23%
26%
35%
DK/NR
Magazines
Internet
Village head
Journal
Newspapers
TV
Friends and family
Radio
Where are you most likely to get your news and information?

32
Yes
40%
No
59%
DK/NR
1%
Does your household own a mobile phone?

33
2% 2% 1% 0% 0%
73%
22%
Every day Few times a week Once a week Once a month Less often Never DK/NR
On average, how often do you use the Internet?
When you do use the Internet, from
where do you most regularly access
the Internet?
* Often use Internet n=142
Cell phone 56%
Home 29%
Internet cafe 7%
Work 5%
Home of friend/family 4%

www.IRI.org | @IRIGlobal
International Republican Institute
(202) 408-9450 | info@iri.org

Survey of Myanmar Public Opinion March 9 –April 1- 2017-IRI Releases Survey of Burmese Public Opinion

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