Tatmadaw MP says they disagree with observations of Joint Constitution Amendment Committee

16 November 2019
Tatmadaw MP says they disagree with observations of Joint Constitution Amendment Committee
Maung Maung of military representatives, attends a regular session of the union parliament in Nay Pyi Taw. Photo: EPA

Tatmadaw (Defence Services) MP Brig. Gen. Maung Maung said that they did not agree with observations and opinions made by the Joint Constitution Amendment Committee on two amendment bills submitted and signed by 144 Tatmadaw MPs.

He said these words to the media during a recess at the union parliament (joint sitting of both houses) session convened on November 15.

“We are also included in this joint committee. So we cannot agree with them and we object to it because our 45-member committee cannot estimate how long it will take to produce the amendment bill.  Currently it is not in position to complete this work,” Brig. Gen. Maung Maung said.

Joint Committee for Constitution Amendment secretary Dr. Myat Nyar Na Soe submitted its report and in which observations and opinions included which recommended for submission of the amendment bill being drafted by this 45-member committee along with two amendment bills submitted by Tatmadaw MPs to parliament.

The two amendment bills submitted by Tatmadaw MPs in September are for amending articles 232 and 261 and the addition to qualifications of union cabinet ministers and Chief Ministers of States-Regions.

Brig. Gen. Maung Maung added that they wanted to proceede with these two bills as per Union Parliament law and rules as they were submitted in accordance with provisions for constitution amendments.

“But in the current situation, they presented to parliament that they would review and study our amendment bills together with their own amendment bill being drafted by 45-member joint committee when it is completed. We do not agree with them in this case and we cannot accept it. We wish they proceed (our bills) in accordance with the law. We would like them to do in this way,” Brig. Gen. Maung Maung said.

Currently Union Parliament has received two bills submitted by two MPs of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and a bill submitted by 144 Tatmadaw MPs led by Brig. Gen. Maung Maung, totaling three amendment bills.

Dr. Myat Nyar Na Soe said in his presentation to the Union Parliament that his committee found in their study that these amendment bills were not for the entire 2008 Constitution but only for some provisions of it.

Dr. Myat Nyar Na Soe added that it will be more appropriate to study and review all these amendment bills along with the bill which would be submitted by the 45-member joint committee simultaneously but separately in the parliament when the committee submitted its 2008 Constitution Amendment Bill to parliament.

He said in reading out the report of 45-member joint committee in submission of report to union parliament, “In presentation of all of these bills to parliament, not a single article and sub-article included in these bills will be left out in submission of these bills. Majority members of the 45-member joint committee found in its study that it will be more appropriate if we can compile all these amendment bills into single one for submission and discussion in parliament rather than separately.”

Speaker of Union Parliament told MPs that those who would like to discuss and deliberate on this report must give their names to parliament office not later than November 19 at 1 p.m.