Thura U Shwe Mann, Myanmar’s ousted USDP chief, survived a critical test on Thursday, when lawmakers voted to suspend discussion of a bill that could have hastened his downfall Reuters reported on 20 August.
The vote highlighted the support in parliament for Shwe Mann, who was dramatically removed as chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) by President Thein Sein last week but remains speaker of the lower house.
After the sacking of Shwe Mann, Myanmar's election commission had urged the speaker to bring to a vote a recall bill setting out provisions for removing a legislator from office.Under the bill, lawmakers would lose their seats if 1 percent of constituents signed a petition to recall them and the election commission found the complaint against them justified. Shwe Mann, who remains a USDP member, faces such a petition from his constituents for his support in June of bills to amend the constitution and limit the military's role in politics.
In a legislative showdown on Thursday, lawmakers postponed discussion on the bill until the next session of parliament. The outcome was a testament to Shwe Mann’s still powerful backing in parliament across party lines the Reuters report said.