1st LD Writethru: Myanmar parliament elects new parliament speaker

YANGON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- U T Khun Myat was elected new speaker of Myanmar's House of Representatives (Lower House) in a parliament session held in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday, according to parliament sources.

U T Khun Myat, who was former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, is a Kachin ethnic parliament representative elected from Kutkai constituency representing the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

The election was held to fill the vacancy left by U Win Myint who announced resignation from the position on Wednesday.

During the parliament session, U Tun Aung was also elected as new deputy speaker of the House to replace U T Khun Myat.

U Tun Aung, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was elected from Nawnghkio township constituency in the 2015 general election.

The new speaker of the House U T Khun Myat made a brief speech following his election, describing the event as opening a new page in Myanmar's parliament.

The vote is set to be followed by the election of a new president in the Union Parliament in days after President U Htin Kyaw, 72, announced resignation on Wednesday for health reasons.

In line with the 2008 constitution, First Vice President U Myint Swe will serve as the acting president until the parliament re-fills the presidency vacancy, according to the President's Office.

The current parliament and government began its term of five years from February and April 2016 respectively under the leadership of the ruling NLD which won the absolute majority of the parliamentary seats in the Nov. 8 general election in 2015. Enditem