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Myanmar's lower house approves state counselor bill

Xinhua, April 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Myanmar's House of Representatives (Lower House) Tuesday passed a bill transferred from the House of Nationalities (Upper House) calling for appointment of a state counselor in the new cabinet, a post to be created for Aung San Suu Kyi.

The bill was approved by the majority of the elected MPs without amendment of the bill agreed by the House of Nationalities after serious debate by the Bill Committee and some non-elected military representatives which constitutes 25 percent of the MPs with the House.

The state counselor bill, submitted to the House of Nationalities (Upper House) last Thursday, were approved by the House by 137-68.

The bill, which includes five chapters and eight articles, guarantees Aung San Suu Kyi's right to contact government ministries, departments, organizations, associations and individuals for counsel.

She will be accountable in her duty to the Union Parliament.

The term of office for the counselor of state is the same as that of the president.

The bill is aimed at ensuring a multi-party democratic system, a market-oriented economic system, a federal union, peace and development in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD chairperson, was first appointed on Wednesday as Myanmar's new Foreign Minister concurrently holding three portfolios, Minister at the President's Office, Minister of Education and Minister of Electric Power and Energy.

In the latest development, as re-proposed by President U Htin Kyaw, the parliament approved on Tuesday substitution of the last two portfolios out of four, naming U Myo Thein Gyi as Minister of Education and U Pe Zin Tun as Minister of Electric Power and Energy.

Aung San Suu Kyi's first two portfolios, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the President's Office remained unchanged.

The Lower House had also appointed Aung San Suu Kyi as chairperson of the Joint Coordination Committee for Development of Parliamentary Affairs. Enditem