Speaker knocks back PR proposal

Speaker knocks back PR proposal

By Win Ko Ko Latt   |   Friday, 05 July 2013

 

Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint has refused to accept a proposal from the Union Election Commission to switch to proportional representation as he said it did not comply with parliamentary rules.

U Khin Aung Myint said that Union Election Commission chairman U Tin Aye had sent him a letter on May 13 asking the hluttaw to discuss proportional representation.

He said the proposal had not come through official channels and could not be accepted.

"The proposal must be submitted in line with hluttaw laws and by-laws if a resolution is to be sought from the hluttaw," he said on July 1, the opening day of the seventh session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, which brings together both the upper and lower houses.

"Sending a letter to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw speaker and making [an] announcement cannot override the hluttaw procedures and it is inappropriate for the hluttaw to accept the announcement as a proposal."

Instead, he said he would forward the commission chairman's letter to the constitutional review committee, which will be formed during the current hluttaw session.

MPs backed the speaker's insistence on the following the law exactly.

"I am satisfied with the decision of the speaker. I think that it showed he will not favour the Union Solidarity and Development Party," said U Ye Tun, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Hsipaw township in Shan State from the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP).

In the letter, U Tin Aye said that if the hluttaw did not decide to switch from first-past-the-post in 2013 then the commission would not consider changing the voting system before the 2015 election because it would not leave enough time to prepare.

The letter said that changing the system will require amendments to a range of regulations and procedures. The commission will also have to arrange training for its staff and educate political parties and the public in preparation for the 2015 election.

It said that reform of the electoral system is a matter concerning all citizens and should be negotiated with the representatives of political parties and parliamentarians.

U Ye Tun said the SNDP did not support proportional representation but would still take part in the 2015 election if the hluttaw decided to change the voting system.

"We agree with President U Thein Sein's recent comment that it is too early to practise proportional representation in Myanmar," U Ye Htun said.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt, an Amyotha Hluttaw representative from the National League for Democracy Party, said his party also opposed any change.

"We do not support the use of proportional representation at present because it would mean that there is likely to be a coalition government in future and this will weaken the government," he said.

However, the switch to proportional representation is backed by many smaller parties, which fear they will lose all representation in parliament if first-past-the-post is retained in 2015.

Most observers agree that a switch to proportional representation would be beneficial for the USDP and likely limit losses to the NLD in 2015.

However, the party is yet to endorse changing the voting system and vice chairman U Htay Oo declined to comment on U Khin Aung Myint's July 1 decision.

 

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/05/speaker-knocks-back-pr-proposal/