Parliament best hope for amending constitution—complaints committee chair

Parliament best hope for amending constitution—complaints committee chair

Published on Wednesday, 15 January 2014 14:13

NAY PYI TAW—The chairperson of a parliamentary committee that deals with legislative complaints told reporters yesterday that the Union Parliament is the best hope for amending the constitution—despite total disagreement from some members of the constitutional review committee, which is comprised mostly of ruling party MPs.

"The review joint committee is made up mostly of parliamentary representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Party. Some don't want to amend the constitution at all. Some want to amend it on a limited basis or step by step. Some others seem willing to amend it extensively in accordance with the public's wishes. I think the number of those who want to see extensive amendment is larger," said Thura Aung Ko, chairman of the Lower House's committee for dealing with complaints, judicial and legislative affairs.

The Union Parliament's Joint Committee for Constitutional Review held a plenary meeting on January 7 and is scheduled to submit a report to parliament by January 31.  The report is to be based on suggestions from political parties and institutions, legal experts and the international community.

As for the presidential qualifications enshrined in the constitution, Aung Ko said: "For a presidential candidate, an exclusively military perspective is not ideal. I assume that a national defence perspective is broader and more appropriate. To safeguard a nation, there are various perspectives—such as the political, economic and diplomatic—in addition to the military perspective. The military perspective represents a tactic while the national defence view means a strategy."

He also said that current events are proving that the military perspective alone cannot end the civil war and achieve peace. He then questioned how many leaders with both military and political perspectives had emerged in Myanmar to end the war.

On December 31, the review committee announced that most of the public suggestions were in support of amending Chapter (1) of the Constitution, on the fundamental principles of the state.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/parliament-best-hope-for-amending-constitution-complaints-committee-chair/