The National League for Democracy on Thursday morning announced its nominations for the speakers of the next term of Union Parliament, including a returned Union Solidarity and Development Party lawmaker alleged to have led a private militia force in northern Shan State.
U T. Khun Myat, the USDP MP for Shan State’s Kutkai Township and currently the chairman of the Lower House Bill Committee, will be put forward as deputy speaker, according to Thursday’s announcement by NLD spokesman U Win Htein.
In 2011, the Shan Herald Agency for News published an investigative series into members of the Union Parliament with alleged ties to the drug trade, which claimed the ethnic Kachin U T. Khun Myat was a key leader of the 600-strong Kutkai militia, based around 25 kilometres north of Lashio. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
Friday, January 29, 2016
Myanmar ranked 147 on Corruption Perceptions Index
Myanmar has been ranked 147 out of 168 countries in the 2015 edition of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. The country shares joint position with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad.
Overall, two-thirds of the 168 countries on the 2015 index scored below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). Myanmar had a score of 22 a slight increase from 21 the previous year.
“The 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index clearly shows that corruption remains a blight around the world. But 2015 was also a year when people again took to the streets to protest corruption. People across the globe sent a strong signal to those in power: it is time to tackle grand corruption,” said José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Overall, two-thirds of the 168 countries on the 2015 index scored below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). Myanmar had a score of 22 a slight increase from 21 the previous year.
“The 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index clearly shows that corruption remains a blight around the world. But 2015 was also a year when people again took to the streets to protest corruption. People across the globe sent a strong signal to those in power: it is time to tackle grand corruption,” said José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Myanmar president hails 'triumph' of democratic transition
President Thein Sein hailed the "triumph" of Myanmar's transition of power Thursday, addressing a military-dominated parliament for the final time before a handover to Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy movement.
The Southeast Asian nation, choked for decades under junta rule, is on the cusp of a remarkable political transition after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) thundered to victory in November elections.
Myanmar's people are hoping her government can reboot a country eviscerated by half a century of army rule that battered the economy and repressed dissent.
"Even though there were difficulties and challenges, we were able to bring a democratic transformation eventually," Thein Sein said addressing the military-stacked legislature for the last time. (Courtesy of Channel NewsAsia)
The Southeast Asian nation, choked for decades under junta rule, is on the cusp of a remarkable political transition after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) thundered to victory in November elections.
Myanmar's people are hoping her government can reboot a country eviscerated by half a century of army rule that battered the economy and repressed dissent.
"Even though there were difficulties and challenges, we were able to bring a democratic transformation eventually," Thein Sein said addressing the military-stacked legislature for the last time. (Courtesy of Channel NewsAsia)
India-Myanmar border trade slumps
On December 1, India ended long-standing rules allowing border trade to be settled by an exchange of goods up to the value of US$20,000, including beans and pulses, spices, bamboo, forest products excluding teak, tobacco, and other commodities.
The move has had the effect of choking off trade, said an official of the Tamu Border Trade Chamber of Commerce yesterday.
Though November trade exceeded the target by 120 percent, December trade reached only 70pc of the target and so far in January the figure is only 35pc. One dealer said, “Since the change, official trades have become rare.” (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
The move has had the effect of choking off trade, said an official of the Tamu Border Trade Chamber of Commerce yesterday.
Though November trade exceeded the target by 120 percent, December trade reached only 70pc of the target and so far in January the figure is only 35pc. One dealer said, “Since the change, official trades have become rare.” (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Thursday, January 28, 2016
NLD forms team to streamline parliamentary business
The National League for Democracy has formed a so-called Parliamentary Affairs Leading Committee, led by Win Myint, a central executive committee member, in an attempt to coordinate work.
The five-member committee will also include Lower House MPs Khin San Hlaing and Aung Soe and the Upper House's Mahn Win Khaing Than and Min Oo.
The committee is designed to coordinate with parliamentary leaders and officials, draft parliamentary schedules, invite guests and allow visitors and the media to sessions. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
The five-member committee will also include Lower House MPs Khin San Hlaing and Aung Soe and the Upper House's Mahn Win Khaing Than and Min Oo.
The committee is designed to coordinate with parliamentary leaders and officials, draft parliamentary schedules, invite guests and allow visitors and the media to sessions. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Unease stirs as Myanmar's Suu Kyi reaches out to former foes
When leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy huddled this month to discuss the transfer of power in Myanmar, they quickly reached decisions on who from the party should take the key posts in the next parliament.
But as attention turned to a candidate from the junta-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a heated argument erupted over his track record and suitability for office, a senior NLD official who was present at the meeting said.
The issue of how far to go in reaching out to former foes from nearly half a century of military rule may prove one of the first faultines to emerge within the NLD, with the potential to threaten or even derail Suu Kyi's ambitious agenda.
"Some rank-and-file members are worried and not happy about the NLD working closely with the military. They never kept their promises so they don't trust the army," said Aung Myo, a mid-ranking NLD member.(Courtesy of Reuters)
But as attention turned to a candidate from the junta-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a heated argument erupted over his track record and suitability for office, a senior NLD official who was present at the meeting said.
The issue of how far to go in reaching out to former foes from nearly half a century of military rule may prove one of the first faultines to emerge within the NLD, with the potential to threaten or even derail Suu Kyi's ambitious agenda.
"Some rank-and-file members are worried and not happy about the NLD working closely with the military. They never kept their promises so they don't trust the army," said Aung Myo, a mid-ranking NLD member.(Courtesy of Reuters)
Rule of law depends on reform of Union Attorney General’s Office
The attorney general is Myanmar’s most powerful legal officer: As a member of the executive, the AG provides legal advice to the President and the hluttaw, analyses international treaties, drafts and amends laws, and represents the government in judicial proceedings. The attorney general also directs the prosecutors’ office and ensures that cabinet actions are legally valid, in line with the constitution and international human rights law.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), international donors and development partners discussed the attorney general’s powerful role on the sidelines of the launch for the Union Attorney General Office’s (UAGO) Strategic Plan 2015-19 in Nay Pyi Taw last week. All expressed hope that the incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) government will appoint an attorney general committed to reform, the rule of law and human rights, in line with their election manifesto promise to ensure that executive and judicial systems support the rule of law. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), international donors and development partners discussed the attorney general’s powerful role on the sidelines of the launch for the Union Attorney General Office’s (UAGO) Strategic Plan 2015-19 in Nay Pyi Taw last week. All expressed hope that the incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) government will appoint an attorney general committed to reform, the rule of law and human rights, in line with their election manifesto promise to ensure that executive and judicial systems support the rule of law. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
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