5 April
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Chairperson of the Central Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races accompanied by Union Ministers Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, Lt-Gen Ye Aung, U Min Thu, Dr. Aung Thu and U Ohn Win and officials left Nay Pyi Taw by special flight and arrived in Mawlamyine, Mon State, yesterday.
The State Counsellor and party were welcomed at the Mawlamyine airport by Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan, State Hluttaw Speaker Daw Tin Ei, state ministers, Hluttaw representatives, departmental officials and local ethnic nationals.
From there the State Counsellor went to Kyaikthanlan Pagoda in Mawlamyine and paid homage to the Buddha images with flower, water and oil lamps.
After the State Counsellor had inspected the repair and reconstruction works conducted on the platform of the pagoda, Deputy Minister for Construction explained about the damages caused to the pagoda platform due to strong winds and rains on 17 June 2018 inside the pagoda congregation hall. The Deputy Minister provided detailed explanations of works conducted to prevent further damages, ongoing reconstruction and maintenance works. The entire reconstruction and maintenance work was estimated to be about K 2,000 million of which K 871 million donation had been received already.
The State Counsellor remarked that the damages were reviewed in five parts and of these three, concluded that the land slide of the pagoda platform occured where the platform was extended. The extension works was not done systematically without thoroughly inspecting the strength of the land on which the platform was extended nor the geographical condition.
Maintenance was very important once reconstruction was completed. Maintenance could not be conducted without proper inspection, test and coordination with experts.
Maintenance must be done according to the suggestion of the experts. Much of the country was deteriorating and damaged due to natural disasters and now was the time when the country was facing the severe effect of climate change. The climate had changed and it could not be unchanged. Repair works could not be conducted based on the past climate condition.
The way rains fell, the start and end of the monsoon were no longer the same.
As the present work was a merit-making work, the local people would donate and support for sure. The quality of the reconstruction work needed to be systematically inspected. Pagoda trustee must take the lead in ensuring this. If not it would not be effective 100 percent. Conducting reconstruction works again for damages occurring again would mean unnecessary and wasted expenses. It was also not proper to conduct reconstruction works repeatedly on a historical pagoda. The pagoda trustee must no longer permit unnecessary construction works on the pagoda. The Pagoda trustees would need funds to maintain the pagoda. Having funds to maintain the pagoda regularly would mean less damage and the pagoda would be in a pristine condition. The Ministry of Construction would cooperate and support the best it can in this.
Companies that won the tender must also conduct works according to the tender rules.
Experts, pagoda trustees and officials from the Ministry of Construction must inspect and ensure this. Works that can be done throughout the rain should be the priority work to be done now and works that require conditions to be dry ought to be conducted only after the monsoon, said the State Counsellor.
Afterwards on behalf of the Union government, the State Counsellor donated K 500 million for all round renovation, reconstruction and maintenance of the pagoda to the pagoda trustees.
Following the visit to the pagoda, the State Counsellor met with local people in Mon State, Mawlamyine, state hall.
At the meeting, the State Counsellor said that for a country to truly develop in a stable manner, it was important for both urban and rural areas to develop equally. As our country was a union it would be stable only when the states and regions develop equally. It can be seen all over the world that instability in a country rose out of unequal development and thus it was important for this to be equal and fair.
Our country was striving towards a democratic federal system. All were required to participate in the establishment and construction works and the results needed to be maintained too.
Development of a country must be done by looking at it from all sides. Basically a country would develop if the people developed. It would be meaningful to measure the development of a country through the attributes and capabilities of the people. If the people did not have ability, riches of the country could not be maintained.
Since gaining independence, our country was heading towards a union system. The people were told about this repeatedly. A union was a country established with the collective strength of all. As it was established with the collective strength of all, all need to participate in it together. A country’s affairs could not be handled by looking only at what we want to do.
Priority must be given towards matters that benefitted the whole country in the long run. If we only look at self-benefit and not for the majority, it would not be beneficial in the long run. It was also not practical to look for the benefit of all only and not for self. It must be balanced.
During her travels, she had seen the challenges faced by the country. Problems were quite the same. But it was beneficial to meet face to face directly with the people and have the chance to solve it. Some rich countries of the world were not poverty free. That was why development in the country needed to be equal. As the gaps between rich and poor widened, a country’s stability decreased. Therefore, a country needed to develop in a balanced way. But this was not easy. Development was not equal in states and regions. Some developed fast but some were slow. Being a union, when working for development it was necessary to look at the issues from both viewpoints, economic and political. In some regions doing something might not be economically beneficial but to provide social support, it was conducted. Things could not be done solely for economic benefits. The Mon State is where ethnic Mon people mostly live. Ethnic people are found to be living together in unity here. It was virtuous to see them living in unity. It was virtuous to see that despite differences in race, culture, language and religion, all were of the same heart and this was a wonderful image for the country. This was the sort of country we want our country to be. But this could not be achieved only with a will or a desire alone. There must be a will, persistence, moral strength and wisdom. All need to strive together.
Problems submitted were found to be same where we went. Now we found six basic problems. The problem of not having sufficient water was declining but still existed. As this was a basic requirement emphasis was placed towards resolving this. Second was road transportation. Road transportation had great effects on the economy, education and health. Third was electricity. The Union government had been striving towards providing electricity to the whole country. Before the end of this year it was expected that more than 50 percent of the country would have electricity. It was hoped to reach 100 percent in 3 to 4 years and efforts were being made towards that end. For this, money and expertise were needed. After electricity came the education sector. This country was found to prioritize education over health. However, education without health would greatly reduce a person’s effort to struggle and live. The final issue was farmland ownership. This was very interesting. Interesting meant we were putting much thought to it. Interest in ownership was not the same as interest in agricultural land. Farmers need to think deeply about it. If we use our right not for self alone but for all, our country would develop very quickly. There were many conflicts in farmland matters. The Hluttaw decided to resolve these conflicts by returning it to the original owners. People need to note on what basis this decision was based on.
Rule of law was taken as the back bone of a stable country. We agree to return the farmland to the original owners for rule of law, fairness and truth. We thought returning farmlands to original owners would make the agricultural sector develop more. It was a correct thing to return farmlands to their rightful owners for fairness and economic development.
The Union government would conduct the work of returning the farmlands to the original owners as decided by the Hluttaw as quickly as possible. People need to note that there were many difficulties in doing this. People also need to demand their lawful rights correctly and honestly within the frame of law. Do not do dishonest things as it would affect our whole country.
The most developed countries in the world were the smallest in the world. These countries did not have any natural resources. But their main resources were their people of high capability. We were heading towards this. If the capability of the people was high, we would overcome whatever obstacles there may be. A system was required to have high capability. That was why rule of law was being stressed, said the State Counsellor.
Matters pre-submitted in writing covering potable water for Mawlamyine, upgrading of the Mawlamyine Airport, construction schedule and cost of Attaran River Bridge in Kyaikmaraw Township, power supply backup arrangement for electricity supplied to Mawlamyine, silting in Thanlwin River and inundation and flooding along the river bank, opening of post graduate diploma course in the Mawlamyine University, widening and upgrading of Kayin Win Sein-Wegu-Taw Pun road in Chaungzon Township, donating farmland for road, widening and asphalt surfacing the Phanpa-Htanpingon earth road in Chaungzon Township, electricity not provided to 32 villages in western part of Kyaikmaraw Township, construction of a sub-station where power lines were already laid, repairing two bridges on Kyaikparan-Kawbwe road, construction of a bridge over Wegali creek in Mudon Township and repairing a bridge on Satthwe-Nipadaw road in Mudon Township, matters raised by two locals outside the meeting covering a forest department personnel’s termination from work and termination of shop permit on Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock) pagoda and matters raised by five locals inside the meeting covering air pollution in the Mawlamyine Industrial Zone, pollution in Takuwai and Takuwi creeks due to rock mining, silts entering and destroying farmlands, confiscation of 50 acres of farmlands worked on by 21 farmers, farmlands being affected by planting of Malaysia Padauk trees, teaching of ethnic national language in school were responded and answered by Union Minister U Ohn Win, State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan and state ministers. The State Counsellor also provided additional explanations.
In her closing speech to the meeting, the State Counsellor accepted the requirement to engage more with the people. However, an entire day would not be enough if everyone was allowed to say whatever they wanted. The matters raised were requirements for water, road transportation, electricity, education and farmland. The inclusion of natural resources and environment was also noted. All these would be handled with care. Matters raised in writing would also be responded. Matters raised via letters were being received and it also can be passed on to officials from the Office of the President who came along on this trip. She then thanked the people for their attendance and took a commemorative group photo with ethnic nationals and youths.
Later in the afternoon, the State Counsellor and party went to Mawlamyine General Hospital where patients receiving treatments in outpatient, surgery ward and other wards were cordially greeted and encouraged.
The State Counsellor and party then went on to the Chaungzon Hospital and inspected the wards and x-ray hall, cordially greeted and encouraged patients receiving treatments.
From there the State Counsellor went to Chaungzon Township Ywalut Village and observed the handicraft, wooden utensils and indoor decorations put on sale in shops and the manufacturing process to produce the products put on sale.
Afterwards the State Counsellor met with the local people from Chaungzon Township, Yawlut Village.
At the meeting the State Counsellor spoke of visiting the Mawlamyine and Chaungzon hospital earlier in the day and said the main reason people were hospitalized was because of their weak eating habits.
To be healthy, living style need to be changed. For the economy to develop, changes need to be made in the economy. Locals were urged to openly raise their requirements. If there were any problems between the state government and local people, it should be resolved through discussion and negotiation. Resolution of problems through discussion and conflict must be avoided. Doctors had said that most of the patients in the hospital were there due to stress.
Children need to be educated. In addition to being educated, they need to be healthy. Only then could their minds develop and they would become children with healthy and strong bodies. This was where the government would have to take up responsibility. Development of the villages was also conducted and the Union government had been striving towards improving the education and health conditions year by year. Local youths in the region were said to be working in Malaysia and Thailand. Job opportunities for the youths in the country need to be created. Only then could they live happily with their families. Matters such as working abroad should not happen even though creating jobs for youths could not be done overnight. However, efforts were being made towards this and the people need to take part together in this, said the State Counsellor.
After her speech, matters raised by the locals covering garbage collection vehicle, library books, counterfeit money, x-ray machine required in a station hospital and electricity were answered by the State Chief Minister and state minister. The State Counsellor also provided additional explanations.
Later, the State Counsellor went to inspect the handicrafts and souvenir shops in the Mudon village, Chaungzon Township and instructed the Mon State Chief Minister to provide support and assistance where necessary.—MNA
(Translated by Zaw Min)
