Upper House votes to name Suu Kyi as state counsellor
A bill submitted by National League for Democracy (NLD) MP Aung Kyi Nyunt to enable Aung San Suu Kyi to be named as a state counsellor has been approved by the Upper House.
Of the 15-member bill committee, 13 voted to approve the bill, according to committee secretary Dr Myat Nyana Soe.
Three military representatives, three Union Solidarity and Development Party MPs and one Arakan National Party member discussed the bill.
Military representatives and USDP MPs said they were concerned that Suu Kyi must submit to Parliament as a minister, adding that it was contrary to the Constitution to be a member of the Parliament and a minister. The appointment would cost more and they questioned whether it would be beneficial to the state.
“I’ve not seen a law enacted for a specific individual. A law must be in the long-term interest of the people. It is one of the first bills submitted by the NLD and we should think again about it,” said USDP MP Kyaw Ni Naing.
Chairman of the bill committee Zaw Min said: “In Section 11(a) of the Constitution, the three branches of government, the legislature, executive and judiciary, are separated to the greatest extent possible and exert controls, checks and balances on each other. In coordinating, there may be clashes. It is natural that clashes occur. In the bill say a counsellor may reduce disagreements. They could only give advice and would have no right to decide. So the bill does not affect Section 11.”
The bill received 137 votes of approval, 70 objections and two abstentions.
The Upper House has 56 military representatives and 11 USDP members. The Lower House will now discuss the bill.