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Air Chief to be appointed as Communications Minister
Published on Friday, 08 February 2013 12:50
In the backdrop of dramatic changes under the reform process, President Thein Sein is poised to appoint incumbent Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Myat Hein to head the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
The president forwarded his name to the Union Assembly on February 8. The unexpected proposal for shifting a high profile Air Chief with the rank of General to the ministerial post is the first ever plan in the time of new government. The minister for communications post fell vacant when Minister Thein Tun was permitted to resign on January 16.
The memorandum sent to the Assembly mentioned that Lt-General Thein Htay holding the post of Minister for Border Affairs had been proposed to be shifted back to military ranking. The President proposed Lt-General Thet Naing Win from the office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) to be appointed in the place of the Ministry of Border Affairs.
The President will have to pick up the nominated list of the military heads from the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services for the appointment of Union Ministers for the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Border Affairs.
If the military high ranking officials are required for the appointment as union ministers for other ministries, the President must consult with the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, the 2008 Constitution said.
The President had permitted Minister for Religious Affairs Thura Myint Maung to resign on January 16 and replaced Hsan Hsint, who is Chairman of Ayeyawady Region Parliament on February 5.