The Union Parliament approved of the proposal to form a joint committee of carrying out constitutional amendment of 2008 as speedily as possible although all military representatives expressed strong opposition to it by standing up in the parliament.
Upper House MP U Aung Kyi Nyunt representing No 4 Constituency of Magway Region submitted an urgent proposal to form a joint committee with Union Parliament representatives to amend the 2008 Constitution as speedily as possible to the regular session of second Union Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw on January 29.
This matter concerns all the entire people of Myanmar. This proposal has to be submitted as it needs the decision of the Union Parliament. The 2008 Constitution goes against democratic values. The provisions are obstacles to the establishment of genuine multiparty democratic system. Some provisions can’t protect national equality. Some can hurt free and fair elections. Democratic basic fundamentals are needed to build eternal peace at the 21st Century Panglong Conference. The NLD conducted a poll to vote the 2008 Constitution in 2013 and the poll showed that 97 % of people from 267 townships across the country, said U Aung Kyi Nyunt.
Military representative Brig-Gen Maung Maung said we agreed on constitutional amendment. If the Constitution is amended, it should be dealt with in accord with rules and regulations. We are here at the parliament according to the Constitution. If the committee is formed, the amendment bill will have to be submitted according to Section 135 of By-law. The Lower House and the Upper House must scrutinize the amendment bill. We can’t know which sections the committee will scrutinize and what the committee is going to do. The constitutional amendment will have to be carried out according to Section 136 of By-law.
All the parliamentarians are the ones who take an oath of allegiance according to table-4 of Section 125 of the Constitution. They must safeguard the Constitution and respect the laws of the State. The parliamentarians are of great importance in performing duties in accord with the laws. They don’t have to exceed their authority. It should be acted in line with rules and regulations. It must not exceed authority. This proposal should not seek approvals by voting, said Brig-Gen Maung Maung.
The speaker of Union Parliament warned the military representative to conclude his presentation. . The speaker objected to the words usage ‘pulling the wool over someone’s eyes’ of the military representative.
The military representative should know to respect the rights of a parliamentarian. The military representative needs to understand that the resource person is acting for enabling all to participate in the constitutional amendment. All the parliamentarians must participate in the formation of the committee. The parliament does not accept the presentation of the military representative, said the speaker of Union Parliament.
“We are not submitting the constitutional amendment bill. The resource person submitted the proposal with the aim of enabling all the parliamentarians representing political parties and Tatmadaw to participate in forming the joint committee of constitutional amendment. If a parliamentarian or a political party submits the constitutional amendment proposal, it will go against peace objectives of the 21st Century Panglong Conference. The submission of the proposal is in compliance with parliamentary law and by-law. For that reason, we would like to seek the approvals of the speaker of Union Parliament,” said Upper House MP Dr Myat Nyarna Soe representing No 3 Constituency of Yangon Region.
The proposal sought the voting solution. There were a total of 601 voters in the parliament. The military representatives did not vote. There were 394 votes for and 17 against the proposal, with 3 abstentions, said the speaker of the Union Parliament.
Translated and Edited by Win Htut
