Committee backs amending charter section barring Suu Kyi from presidency

That section lists the eligibility requirements for the presidency. It says candidates, their parents, spouse, and legitimate children cannot owe allegiance to a foreign power. Both of Suu Kyi’s sons hold British passports, while her deceased husband was a British national.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy has called for Section 59 (f) to be scrapped, while the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party has suggested that amending it could be considered at some time in the future.

Other political parties have also called for changes in the wording of the contentious section.

Committee secretary Aye Mauk said the report was the result of 46 meetings since February, when the committee was formed. Suggested amendments came from the public, civic organisations, political parties and military-appointed MPs, Aye Mauk said.

The committee also suggested changes to Section 436, which requires more than 75 per cent of MPs to approve any amendment of the military drafted charter, which also gives the military 25 per cent Parliament’s seats.

The NLD suggested that Section 436 should be amended so that votes from either two-thirds or more than half of all the representatives of Union parliament are required to amend the charter. This would be followed by a nation-wide referendum that would require more than 50 per cent of all votes to support the amendment.

The ruling party has called for a more gradual approach to increased democracy, while military-appointed MPs have objected to amending the section that gives them de facto control over any amendment to the charter.

Aye Mauk quoted Lower House speaker Thura Shwe Mann as saying the charter amendment process must be completed six months before the general election scheduled for late next 2015. 

Suu Kyi told reporters that she and her party members would discuss details of the report before they debate it in Parliament.