Government blocks attempt to create parliamentary committees

Government blocks attempt to create parliamentary committees

By Ye Mon   |   Thursday, 01 May 2014

Yangon Region ministers have refused to support a proposal to form parliamentary committees, insisting that there is no need for MPs to monitor their activities.

During an unusually combative Yangon Region Hluttaw session on April 28, Bahan MP Daw Nyo Nyo Thin said a public accounts committee, government's guarantees, pledges and undertakings vetting committee, and public complaints committee are needed to keep tabs on the government's activities and how it spends its budget. Currently the hluttaw only has a bill committee, which reviews proposed legislation before it is discussed by MPs.

After her proposal was rejected, Daw Nyo Nyo Thin launched a withering attack on the regional government's commitment to transparency.

"They don't accept the formation of these committees so why should we believe that they are honest. We should watch them with suspicion," Daw Nyo Nyo Thin said.

"Other region and state hluttaws have these committees but we don't. I don't understand why the government has refused to form them," she said.

During the discussion, both Minister for Planning and Economics U Than Myint and Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Tin Win objected to the formation of the committees.

"The auditor general is regularly inspecting our government's budget and we are already solving public complaints so we don't need these committee," he said.

U Than Myint said the proposal was not in line with provisions in the 2008 constitution, pointing to section 167(a), which states that the region hluttaw "may, if necessary, form committees and bodies with the region or state hluttaw representatives".

Daw Nyo Nyo Thin rejected the minister's interpretation and said the issue should be submitted to the Constitutional Tribunal.

"Only the Constitutional Tribunal can decide, not the ministers or the speaker," she said.

A number of MPs sided with Daw Nyo Nyo Thin and the issue appears likely to be discussed further during the next session. Under the constitution, the regional hluttaw speaker can ask the Constitutional Tribunal to review the case.

"If the government doesn't accept the proposal to form the committee, it shows that our region doesn't have real rule of law," said U Kyaw, an MP from Thingangyun.

"There are many complaints from the public so the complaint committee really is needed," said U Win Htein from Tarme.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/05/02/government-blocks-attempt-to-create-parliamentary-committees/