Parliament building as tour destination
The Parliament building will now be officially open to visitors, locals and foreigners, as part of the Hotels and Tourism Ministry's plan to promote tourism in the quiet capital of Nay Pyi Taw.
Included in its tourism marketing plan are buildings in the city like the international airport and hotels. According to a source at the ministry, the Nay Pyi Taw website will be launched soon.
Supporting the plan, Air KBZ started the Nay Pyi Taw – Mandalay route in April.
The ministry recently announced the rules and regulations for parliament building visits. It is not decided yet whether visitors will have to pay the entry fee.
The rules mainly focus on the security issue. The visitors have to inform the parliament three days in advance with which building they want to visit and the exact time. The visitors must know where the restricted areas are and that alcohol is prohibited.
Students, members of political parties and persons from local and foreign organisations have been already permitted to observe the parliament when the session is in progress.
It was reported that 30 bills, including the Race and Religion Protection Bill, will be discussed at the upcoming parliamentary session, said Saw Hla Tun, secretary of the Bill Committee of Lower House of parliament.
The Protection of Race and Religion legislation package includes four bills: a religion conversion bill, a bill that restricts interfaith marriage, a bill that puts forward population control measures, and a bill that bans polygamy.
A total of 97 civil society organisations have submitted their suggestions for reviewing the Protection of Race and Religion Bill.
“Our legal support committee will review it. We will release our findings after these all facts have been reviewed. The case is very delicate and sensitive. We can evaluate it only after reviewing it from a legal point of view,” said MP Aung San Suu Kyi at a press meet on December 30.
Nanda Kyaw Swa, chairman of the Charter Amendment Committee, submitted a proposal to decide on the charter change bill in the upcoming session of parliament.
So far, the Union parliament has already passed 126 laws. Currently, a total of 40 bills are under discussion at the parliaments, said Thura Shwe Mann, the Lower House speaker.
“This upcoming session will mainly focus on the budget affairs. These bills will be discussed at the 12th parliamentary session. Anyone can send their suggestions about the bills directly to the bill committee," said Saw Hla Tun.
The 12th regular sessions of parliament will begin on 19 January.
