NLD’s MP appointed Myanmar’s lower house speaker
NAY PYI TAW - National League for Democracy’s MP Win Myint was elected the next Lower House Speaker while MP T Khun Myat, a member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), would be his deputy.
“I’d like to say thanks for my appointment as the Lower House Speaker; I’m very honoured. I seriously promise I will put all my efforts into securing more basic human rights for our citizens and to ensure the country’s democratic reforms grow stronger,” said Win Myint on the first day of the new parliament session.
“Today is a blissful day for Myanmar’s democratic transition. This is the second parliament, held as a result of a general election in line with the people’s desires. We are the representatives of the public in pursuing democracy, human rights and development,” Win Myint said.
He continued: “I urge you all to create a genuine democratic, federal Union, cooperating with each other together with unity and love. Our dignity will be promoted if we are dutiful to the national interest instead of personal interests. We should all perform our best since we are the ones who will participate in writing new pages of the country’s history.”
He also said the MPs are legislators and should not violate the country’s laws.
He continued that the second parliament must focus on legislation, including amending, cancelling and drafting laws to protect the people’s lives and security. Also, the parliament has to examine whether existing laws, including orders and notifications, are in line with human rights and democratic standards.
He said: “I’m pleased to be the speaker of the parliament. I will try my best to fulfil this responsibility fairly.”
The parliament will reconvene on February 4.
Win Myint is a member of the NLD’s central executive committee. He represented NLD in Tamwe constituency, Yangon Region. He also won seats in the 1990 and 2012 elections, representing the party.
More than 600 local and foreign reporters covered the parliament session opening on February 1. Former Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann, former deputy speaker Nanda Kyaw Swa, and several ex-MPs attended the event. Tin Oo, NLD patron, was also present as an observer. Only four representatives, including vice presidents Dr Sai Mauk Kham and Nyan Htun from the USDP were absent yesterday.
The Lower House is comprised of 433 MPs: 255 from NLD, 30 from USDP, 12 each from the Rakhine National Party (RNP) and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), three each from the Pa-o National Organisation and the Ta’ang National Party, two each from the Zomi Democracy Party and the Lisu National Development Party (LNDP), one each from Kachin Democracy Party, Wa Democratic Party and Kokant Democracy Party as well as 110 military representatives.
The new MPs were aspired to move the nation forward.
“There are great expectations for the building of a federal Union, equal rights for ethnic minorities and the country’s development. We don’t know how far we can go. The Lower House speaker is now responsible for bringing about equal rights for the people. We’re now going to see how much the parliament can do for national unity. I’m rather optimistic,” said Ba Shein from the Rakhine National Party (RNP).
“We want equal rights for ethnic people. The NLD and ethnic representatives should have equal rights. I hope they will,” said La Marlay from the LNDP.
Sai Zin Thant from the SNLD noted that his party discussed issues such as whether the opposition should be shaped, something absent during the previous session.
“The previous five years will not be the same as the coming five years,” he said, adding that if there would be no opposition if SNLD did not take the matter in its hands.
Prior to the November election, SNLD planned to team up with NLD to form the opposition, he noted.
The upper house is to be comprised of 135 MPs from the NLD, 11 from the USDP, 10 from the RNP, three from the SNLD, two each from the Zomi Democracy Party and the Taang National Party, one each from the Mon National Party, National Unity Party and the Pa-O National Organisation, two independents as well as 56 military representatives.
The foreign community rushed to congratulated Myanmar on the opening of the new parliament session. Good wishes came from many countries including France and the United States.
The US embassy in Yangon released a statement on February 1 saying: “On November 8, 2015, the people of Myanmar made their voices heard in a historic election. Today, we congratulate the newly elected parliamentarians on their first day in office and wish them well as they take on the difficult but urgent task of advancing peace, prosperity, justice and reform in this country. The US Embassy salutes the process of democracy that led to this historic day and looks forward to providing support for these new parliamentarians as well as others throughout the country seeking to promote democratic practice in coming years.”
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