MP slams govt's broken promises

 

 

"As there is no mechanism to carry out promises, there is no system to take action against ministers who are unable to keep them,” said the politician who is a member of National Democratic Force (NDF) Party.

“Governments around the world have to build mutual trust with the people by not making promises too easily. When MPs discuss an issue in Parliament, we should clearly say ‘no’ to an issue we cannot handle. You can look at parliamentary records from before 1962: the lawmakers spoke straight. The people could keep an eye on the parliament.”

The MP complained about the government’s plan to appoint permanent secretaries without seeking parliamentary approval.

The Thein Sein government has been lauded for a number of reforms in several areas, which effectively boosted the country’s per-capita income to above US$1,000. However, it has been under heavy criticisms on slowing progress in several areas like human rights and press freedom.

There are fears that the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, which was previously chaired by Thein Sein, may lose many seats to National League for Democracy in the upcoming election.

"Things will change when a minister is blamed for failing to keep a pledge. But there is no tradition of this. And there is no possibility of doing it. The pledges they gave should be remembered at the next election," Myat Nyarna Soe said.

Last week, when reiterating the necessity of a six-party political discussion, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi named eight hurdles: lack of enthusiasm; the government’s reluctance to reform the controversial Constitution; weak human rights protection; failure to work for the poor majority; continuing centralisation; inability to tackle corruption; the executive’s intervention in the judiciary; and the government’s reluctance to hold six-party talks.