Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party said on Friday it planned to boycott Myanmar's Parliament next week in a row that threatens to overshadow the activist's landmark election to public office.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner had been set to make her debut in Parliament on Monday after her party's decisive win in by-elections earlier this month.
But her party's newly elected members are refusing to take the swearing-in oath that requires them to uphold the Constitution, which was drawn up by the country's former military rulers, said a party spokesman on Friday.
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It is the first sign of serious discord between Ms. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and the reformist regime since April 1 by-elections that gave the former political prisoner her first-ever seat in the Parliament.
The authorities have rejected the NLD's appeal to change the wording of the swearing-in oath from “safeguard” to “respect” the Constitution.
The party will write to the presidential office to ask the authorities to reconsider, but a resolution to the row is unlikely in time for the opening of Parliament on Monday.
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President Thein Sein is on a visit to Japan, where he is set to hold talks with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who is reportedly set to announce that Japan will forgive Myanmar's $3.7-billion debt and resume financial assistance.