Roundup: Myanmar parliament's vetoing on constitution amendment proposal brings about new challenges

Myanmar parliament's veto on almost all sections but one of the constitution amendment proposals on Thursday has brought about new political challenges just months ahead of the country's general election for the next term of the legislative body.

The parliament's rejection of change of some key and sensitive sections, that can reflect a major reform, disappointed efforts long made by the people, observers here said.

Local media doubt that the result may produce a question whether the upcoming general election is a free and fair one or not and the result may spark a political crisis even over the ongoing peace process.

Myanmar's ruling party -- the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has expressed regret over the voting result of the constitution amendment bill, submitted by the party to the parliament.

Of the proposed change for six key sections of the constitution, only one section was passed, while the five others were vetoed as the number of voters stood less than the designated required 75 percent to get the bill approved.

USDP said the constitution amendment bill for the six sections was submitted at an appropriate time for the interest of the country and the people but met with defeat.

The party vowed to continue to work for gaining for the citizens' rights and its desire, said a statement of the USDP.

Leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Aung San Suu Kyi commented the voting result as no surprise, pointing out that although the USDP-submitted constitution amendment was not effective enough to help the country's reform, the vetoing of such amendment indicates reluctance for the reform, especially from the military. Its non-elected or directly-assigned parliament members occupy one-fourth of the parliament at all levels according to the current constitution.

Denying the failure to amend the majority of the sections of the constitution as a defeat, Aung San Suu Kyi maintained that the amendment issue would not impact on her party in the course of heading towards the upcoming general election as lots of things remain to be done.

She told the people not to lose hope but to continue to do what is needed to be done.

Suu Kyi, who holds the post of Chairperson of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquillity with the House of Representative ( Lower House), held that despite the negative result of the amendment proposal, she was satisfied with her party's MPs for having the opportunity to discuss in the parliament the need for constitution amendment and the stance of the party.

Expressing no more interest in the six-party talks, Suu Kyi encouraged the people to go ahead with what is needed to be done.

Myanmar's parliament on Thursday vetoed almost all six sections of the constitution except one in the amendment bill submitted for change after three days' hot debate by MPs from political parties, the ethnic parties and the military.

The rejected five key sections of the constitution, proposed for amendment, are 59 (f), 436(a), 436 (b), 60 (c) and 418 (b).

The amendment bill for the Section 59(f), which deals with the eligibility to become president, proposed lifting ban on a presidential candidate whose son-in-law or daughter-in-law is a foreign citizen, but continues ban on a candidate whose spouse or one of the legitimate children is a foreign citizen, apparently still restricting a person of the same family status to become president.

The amendment bill for the Section 436(a), which deals with the requirement for a change for a number of designated key sections, proposes a change to at least 70 percent of MPs' consent from 75 percent originally stipulated and to over 50 percent of the on-the- spot voters' in the referendum from the same percent of eligible voters originally prescribed.

The amendment bill for Section 436(b), which deals with provisions other than those mentioned in Section 436 (a), proposes amendment by a vote of more than 75 percent of all the MPs.

The amendment bill for Section 60 (c), which deals with the eligibility for presidency, proposes to revise that election of a vice president or president shall be from among people-elected parliament representatives and not from among persons who are non- elected or directly-appointed military representatives.

The amendment bill for Section 418 (b) deals with transfer of power to the Commander-in-Chief in case of declaration of state of emergency in the country.

The only one section 59 (d) dealing with the qualification of a presidential candidate was voted in favor. The section was proposed to change that the candidate shall be well acquainted with the affairs of defense instead of military.

Through a secret ballot system, the voting was done by 583 MPs out of 633. Of the 583 MPs, 166 are directly appointed by the military without being elected by the people.

Voting on other sections of the 2008 constitution in the USDP- submitted amendment bill will continue next week, according to the parliament.

The constitution was promulgated in May 2008 to serve as a base for November 2010 general election.

The present term of the government which started from March 2011 is to expire in March 2016. Endi