First-day meeting of 2nd Amyotha Hluttaw’s 9th regular session held

The ninth regular session of the second Amyotha Hluttaw held its first-day meeting at the Amyotha Hluttaw’s meeting hall yesterday morning, where Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than delivered a message of greeting, asterisk-marked questions were answered and a bill sent back with amendments by the Pyithu Hluttaw was discussed.

In his message of greeting, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than said the term of the Hluttaw had reached over 2 years, close to two-and-a-half years, and the Hluttaw representatives had obtained a certain degree of experience. As such, they were expected to serve the people better, said the Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker.

Asterisk-marked questions

U Myint Naing of Rakhine State constituency (5) posed a question on a plan to clear the silt and sand bars along the rivers and creeks and at the mouth of the rivers and creeks in Rakhine State. Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications U Kyaw Myo replied that it is a massive undertaking to clear silt and sand bars along the rivers and creeks and at the mouth of the rivers and creeks in Rakhine State and depending on the importance of a river/creek, the removal of silt and sand bars will be done based on the availability of funds.

Replying to a question raised by Dr. Khin Ma Gyi of Kachin State constituency 8 on increasing the number of Putao-Myitkyina flights during the summer holidays for the convenience of teachers serving in difficult places such as Khaunglanphu, Nagmon, Machanbaw and Putao townships, Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications U Kyaw Myo said Myanmar National Airlines of the Ministry of Transport and Communications is increasing the number of round-trip flights from four times to five times a week starting 5 June 2018.

Myanmar National Airlines is an airline working with its own funds outside of government funding and operates regular flights to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay international airports and 23 other local airports and it can only increase the number of Myitkyina-Putao round-trip flights when there is an increase in demand.

If the relevant ministry informs and coordinates with the Ministry of Transport and Communications about its requirements, special flights and special ticket fares can be arranged, said the deputy minister.

Next, Dr. Khin Maung Win of Taninthayi Region constituency 11 asked whether there was any plan to provide electricity at a reasonable price to Kawthoung Township, Kawthoung District,Taninthayi Region.

Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy Dr. Tun Naing replied that the Pachan Kawthoung region electricity production and distribution public company had won the tender to provide electricity 24 hours a day at a reasonable price in Kawthoung Township and arrangements are underway to do this with ten 630KVA diesel generators.

In addition to this, to reduce the price of electricity, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Taninthayi Region government and Royal Eagle Myanmar Development Group Co. Ltd. on 2 February 2018 to conduct a preliminary feasibility study on implementing a medium-sized 30MW wind power electricity generating and distributing project atop a mountain near Kawthoung, said the deputy minister.

Similarly, questions raised by U Saw Chit Oo of Kayin State constituency 3 and U Aung Thein of Bago Region constituency 12 were answered by Deputy Ministers U Kyaw Myo and Dr. Tun Naing.

Discussion of the Bill amending the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Law (2017)

Later, U Kyi Win of the Ayeyawady Region constituency 12 discussed the Bill amending the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Law (2017) sent by the Pyithu Hluttaw with amendments.

The second-day meeting of the second Amyotha Hluttaw’s ninth regular session will be continued today, it is learnt.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar