Committee agrees to amend section 436

Committee agrees to amend section 436

By Ei Ei Toe Lwin   |   Monday, 26 May 2014

A parliamentary committee has agreed in principle to amend the provision of the 2008 constitution that stipulates that the approval of at least 75 percent of Hluttaw members is required to approve an amendment to the constitution.

The provision, known as section 436, is seen as crucial to maintaining the influence of the armed forces in politics, as well as preventing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president.

The agreement to amend section 436 came on May 19, after Hluttaw speaker Thura U Shwe Mann reportedly set out the basic principles concerned, according to committee members.

"We reached a decision to amend it after two or three hours of discussion. But we haven't yet discussed how to amend it," said one member.

The 31-member committee is under instructions from President U Thein Sein to submit proposals for constitutional amendment six months before elections, which are scheduled for next year. It comprises 14 representatives from the governing Union Solidarity and Development Party and seven representatives of the Tatmadaw, the remaining members being drawn from the National League for Democracy and other opposition parties.

"USDP seems to favour [reducing the Tatmadaw representation in parliament] to two thirds. I'm not aware of the desire of the Tatmadaw. They may accept the amendment. If not, we can't amend the other sections. There will be nothing else for the committee to do," said one committee member.

The committee will continue to review possible amendments until May 28.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/05/27/committee-agrees-to-amend-section-436/