The government led by the ruling National League for Democracy should pass the Right to Information Law during its tenure, said Ohn Kyaing, President of Myanmar Press Council, at a ceremony to mark the 70th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, at the International Business Center (IBC) in Yangon on December 10.
“The enactment of the Right to Information Law in the time of the NLD-led government will be beneficial to the people. The people can say they enjoy democratic rights. I would like to urge officials to pass the law as quickly as possible,” he added.
This bill was drafted jointly by the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission chaired by Thura Shwe Mann, news media and the national-level bodies. The draft Right to Information Law was submitted to Union Parliament in September 2016, he said.
Along with freedom and rights, the news coverage will come with accountability and responsibility. The code of ethics to be followed by media personnel have been enshrined in the each chapters of the Media Law.
He also discussed the facts described in the Article-19 of the Universal Human Rights Deceleration.
At the ceremony, the message sent by the Myanmar President was read out. Dr. Win Myat Aye, Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Chair Win Mra, Yangon Mayor Maung Maung Soe, UNDP resident representative Mr. Knut Ostby gave speeches at the ceremony.
