2nd Pyithu Hluttaw’s 8th regular session holds 1st-day meeting

By Aye Aye Thant

The first-day meeting of the second Pyithu Hluttaw’s 8th regular session was held at the Pyithu Hluttaw meeting hall, Nay Pyi Taw, yesterday morning.

In his opening message, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat spoke of putting on record the works conducted by the Pyithu Hluttaw representatives when the Hluttaw was in recess and his appreciation towards it. The forthcoming Hluttaw session has some 150 asterisk marked questions, 12 motions and 28 bills in the agenda, said the Pyithu Hluttaw speaker.

“Observing the current world situation, it can be noted that there are policy changes, along with changes in political aims. We should be aware of the policy changes and do our part to make our country a developed and modern nation. Laws that are not in sync with the time and system must be amended and repealed, while new laws that benefit the people and protect their basic human rights need to be enacted,” he said.

“If we study the parliaments in the world, it can be seen that these are conducing post legislative scrutiny of the effects of the enacted laws. The Hluttaw representatives must examine whether the enacted laws are beneficial to the people and the implementing ministries can operate them accordingly,” he stated.

The Hluttaws need to strive towards becoming a legislative pillar that can check and balance the administrative and judicial pillars according to the democratic norms, and is reliable and beneficial to the people. At a time when the people of the country, including the ethnic nationals, are going all out with collective strength to establish a federal union, the Hluttaw representatives must participate in this wholeheartedly. All are urged to assist and support in building trust among ethnic nationals for national reconciliation, the Pyithu Hluttaw speaker said.

For the establishment of democratic practices in the country, the Hluttaw representatives must act and conduct themselves in an exemplary manner and enact laws that ensure freedom, equality and justice in the country. People will trust and conform to the laws only when the laws provide them with protection. The Hluttaw speaker pledged to do his best not only as the Hluttaw speaker but also as a Pyithu Hluttaw representative to continue strengthening the legislative pillar. The Hluttaw representatives are urged to continue their works for the benefit of the people and the country, as true representatives of the people, said the speaker.

Next, messages of congratulations sent by Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Viet Nam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President of the Laos National Assembly Pany Yothotou on 23 March 2018, President of the National Assembly of Serbia Maja Gojkovic and Chairman of National People’s Congress of People’s Republic of China Li Zhanshu on 26 March 2018, Secretary-General of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Isra Sunthornvut on 28 March 2018, Speaker of People’s National Assembly of Algeria Said Bouhadja on 29 March 2018, Speaker of the Japan House of Representatives in the Diet Tadamori Oshima on 2 April 2018, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Chung Sye-Kyun, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungong and Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko on 3 April 2018, Chairman of the State Duma of Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin and Speaker of Lok Sabha of India Sumitra Mahajan on 5 April 2018, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Ismail Kahraman and Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Tan Chuan-Jin on 9 April 2018, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin on 10 April 2018, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Pantaleon D. Alvarez on 12 April 2018 and President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg Mars Di Barolomeo on 19 April 2018 was put on record by the Hluttaw.

Education Minister replies to asterisk marked questions

On the question posed by U Tin Aye of Metmung constituency regarding the plan to put Metmung Township head of education department under the management of Kengtung district head of education, the union minister said the Metmung Township in Mongphyat District is some 190 miles northwest of Mongphyat Town under the Ministry of Education’s organisation setup. Under the administrative districts of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Metmung Township in Metmung District is part of the six townships under Wa Self-Administered Division in northern Shan State, while under the administrative districts of the Ministry of Education, it is in Mongphyat District in eastern Shan State. The state head of education has reported the difficulties in conducting educational works for Metmung township via Kengtung Town and had proposed to transfer the management of Metmung township head of education from the role of Mongphyat Distrcit head of education to Kengtung District head of education. Arrangements are being made according to the procedure to transfer the Metmung township head of education to be placed under the management of Kengtung District head of education, said the Union Minister for Education.

Replying to a question raised by Dr. Daw Pyone of Indaw constituency on the plan to omit good conduct recommendation by the Myanmar Police Force in the recommendation letters attached to the application for entry to a university, the union minister said this was included in the 2012 guidelines on application for entry to university but was not included since the 2013 guidelines on application were released. Similarly, it is not included in the 2017 guidelines on application for entry to university, said the Union Minister for Education.

U Aye Naing of Dagon Myothit (South) constituency asked if there was a plan to open a government technical high school or a vocational training school in Yangon Region Dagon Myothit (South). The union minister replied that the Yangon Region government was coordinating to construct a government technical high school on 14 acres of land beside Hlawga Road in Dagon Myothit (South) Ward 105, according to a master plan.

Once the land is transferred to the Department of Technical, Vocational and Training Education, funding for the construction of the school buildings, employment of staff and provision of teaching materials will be included in the yearly budget, according to the regulation, said the union minister.

The union minister also replied to questions raised by Dr. U Than Aung Soe of Minhla constituency, U Win Myint Aung of Dapayin constituency and U Myo Nyunt of Homalin constituency.

Motion to assign staff to schools nearest families rejected by vote

Following the question-and-answer session, U Win Win of Minbu constituency tabled a motion to give priority to assign education staffs to schools that are nearest to their families.

A Hluttaw representative supported the motion, but when the motion was put to vote, there were 118 for, 226 against and seven abstainees. Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat announced the motion had not been accepted for debate.

The Hluttaw then decided to approve the seven amendments on a bill to amend the Early Child Care and Development Law returned by the Amyotha Hluttaw with amendments, which was submitted to the Hluttaw by a bill committee member.

The bill committee secretary then tabled a motion to discuss in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw the four amendments of the bill to which the two Hluttaws did not agree. Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat announced that the Hluttaw would continue to work on the bill.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar