21 Aug
The 10th-day meeting of the 17th regular session of the Second Pyithu Hluttaw was held yesterday with two committee members substituted, two bills and a motion approved for further debate, and a motion on alleviating agricultural debt of farmers put on record.
Substitution of committee members
Speaker U T Khun Myat announced the substitution of two Tatmadaw members from two Pyithu Hluttaw committees. Maj-Gen Tin Swe Win will be replaced with Maj-Gen Aung Myo Tun as a member of the Hluttaw Rights Committee while Colonel Khin Maung Soe will be replaced with Colonel Than Hlaing as a member of the Agriculture, Livestock Breeding and Rural Development Committee.
Q&A session
In the Q&A session, MP U Win Win from Minbu constituency raised a question on whether a sluice gate can be installed on the Kyauk Nwar Thoe dam (a) Mahn dyke during the next summer. Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Hla Kyaw replied there is currently no plan to build a sluice gate there but feasibility study will be conducted and a budget proposal will be submitted in the appropriate financial year depending on the result.
MP U Kyaw Soe from Bamauk constituency then asked if the Department of Rural Road Development will consider adding the remaining roads of Bamauk Township to the official list for rural roads and from the remaining townships to the national list for rural roads. Deputy Minister for Construction Dr Kyaw Lin replied that the department will consider and follow regulations to add the remaining rural roads if the relevant state or regional government brings it to light.
MP U Ohn Lwin of Nyaungdon constituency asked whether there were plans to compensate the local residents who had their land damaged during the construction of the railway bridge, part of the Ayeyawady Bridge (Nyaungdon), during the 2020-2021FY. Deputy Minister Dr Kyaw Lin replied that the central farmland management committee decided on 3 July 2019 to compensate the 167 local residents in Nyaungdon Township who lost a combined 126.76 acres. The compensation budget proposal of K316.9 million has been submitted to the Union Budget for 2020-2021FY and appropriate action will follow once it has been approved.
Two bills set for further discussion
Bill Committee member Daw Mar Mar Khine submitted a report on the microfinance bill that had been sent back with amendments from the Amyotha Hluttaw. The report stated 12 of the amendments should be accepted and 10 left unchanged as previously approved by the Pyithu Hluttaw while the Bill Committee makes one more amendment.
The Speaker asked for the opening of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry and then the deliberation of the Hluttaw. Bill Committee secretary U Kyaw Soe Lin motioned for the 11 disagreed facts to be submitted to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw for further contemplation, which the Speaker approved. The Speaker announced that the Amyotha Hluttaw had sent back the bill to amend the 1959 Defence Services Act with their own amendments. The Speaker called for the assembly’s deliberation, received no opposition and announced it has been approved for further action.
Motion
MP Dr Aung Tun Khaing (a) U Chain Win from Ye constituency tabled a motion urging the Union Government to upgrade and reinforce Myanmar’s police force. He said the police are a security force that has the most daily interaction with the public and their main duty is to conserve the environment. He said they are formed democratically and need to respect democratic frameworks while building trust with the public and following regulations. The motion was seconded by MP U Tin Soe from Phakant constituency and approved for debate by the assembly. The Speaker called for MPs interested in discussing the motion to enrol their names. Hluttaw representatives debate a motion tabled by MP U Thein Tun from Kyaunggon constituency urging the Union Government to implement a course of action to acquire international financial support or long-term loans with no interest rates to lessen the debt accrued through various agricultural development projects for improving the livelihoods of farmers and cultivators.
Tatmadaw representative Lt-Col Zayar Min said centralization should be reduced and a policy to include cooperation from farmers should be implemented to resolve the practical requirements in existence.
The motion was further debated by MP U Khin Maung Myint from Yaksawk constituency, MP Dr Maung Thin from Meiktila constituency, MP U Nan Mon Htin from Machanbaw constituency, MP U Tun Mya Aung (a) U Saw Tun Mya Aung from Papun constituency, MP U Khin Maung T from Loilem constituency, MP U Aye Maung from Bawlakhe constituency and Tatmadaw representative Major Moe Oo Kyaw.
Deputy Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Maung Maung Win responded that while the motion displays the positive concern for farmers, it would be more constructive to support farmers in paying back their debt rather than considering to wipe it clean. He said it is a practically challenging proposed course of action and should just be kept on record.
MP U Thein Tun asked the Speaker to approve the motion and the Speaker called for a vote. Of the 364 MPs in attendance, 124 agreed with the motion while 240 disagreed and thus, the motion was merely put on record. The 11th-day meeting of the Second Pyithu Hluttaw’s 17th regular session will be held on 25 August.
Aye Aye Thant (MNA) (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
