Wed 27 Feb 2013
Filed under: News,Parliament
Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw Thura U Shwe Mann discussed matters related to the National Planning Bill for 2013-2014 fiscal year at the 13th-day sixth regular session of the First Pyidaungsu Hluttaw today.
The unofficial translation of the full discussion of the Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker is as follows:-
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives,
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw speaker traced the Hluttaw’s motto and included some matters occurred in the country that are needed to be taken into consideration in his speech given on the first day of the sixth regular session. Parliamentarians held constructive and indepth discussions on bills for 2013-14 fiscal year submitted by the Union government, it is found that these discussions reflected people’s voices, people’s wishes and people’s requirements for the sake of the Union.
As a people’s representative, I would like to stress the need for implementation of people’s hopes, placing emphasis on these goodwill discussions by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
The onus is on the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to pass the laws that can fulfill the requirements of the people, ensuring public interest and national interest after making an analysis of projects and budgets bills presented by the Union government.
So it is required to reassess the points included in the bill, ensuring them be appropriate, equivalent, beneficial and fair.
This year’s budgets presented by the Union government should be allowed as the nation sees reform process and rehabilitation tasks. But budgets should be spent, really and truly, on sectors and projects necessary to be implemented at the present time. It means that no cuts in budget are needed and the Hluttaw should decide to allow the budgets for the sectors which are really needed to be implemented.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
It is required not only to draw plans in respective sectors for unemployed people, especial ly the youths, service personnel with great hardship in grass root levels, debt-burdened farmers and breeders, poor workers and peace-yearned people but also to enact them as a law for the use of finance. Implementation of these matters is an essential prerequisite for the present time.
It is necessary to provide necessary assistance and allowance to teachers o f a f f i l iated schools, post- p r imary schools , self-reliant schools and monastic education schools who were appointed by local people starting from coming fiscal year while our country is moving towards a compulsory primary education system, to appoint medial graduates and those who had completed their duty of house surgeon at the necessary posts af ter scrutinizing them by Medical Council or a suitable team although they had failed to pass the exam of Union Civil Services Board and to narrow the gap of health care between rural and urban areas to a certain extent. If necessary, they are to be sent to Central Institute of Civil Service to take the course later in accord with the decision of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives,
Discussions held in Hluttaw have revealed that Hluttaw representatives are striving to fulfill the requirements of the people, upholding interest of the State and its people and desisting from partisanship, dogmatism, regionalism, racism and religion.
If we actually want an internal peace for national unity and national reconsolidation, we all have to respect the existing laws for ensuring peace and stability.
We have to consider whether a law is needed for making peace. It is required to set up funds to be spent on peace-making process, even if enactment of law is not needed.
Even we don’t know clearly whether we will be given international aid, how much of international aid we will be given and when international aid will be given, it is required for Hluttaw to decide to use public money in peace making process. Peace could not be achieved by enactment of a law and spending of money. It calls for participation of the entire people in good faith.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
Existing laws, bylaws, rules and regulat ions, procedures, notifications and directives are to be pragma t ic ones to be followed and departments and service personnel that are implementing them are to have an appropriate social status with own dignity. Necessary arrangements and adequate training are to be made for them to reach such kind of status. By doing so, it will facilitate reform process, earning public interest in administrative mechanism.
Likewise, it will assist for ensuring the Rule of Law. A phrase “good servants make the nation better” will be realized soon.
Service personnel were provided with allowance of K 30000 as a result of discussions in last year when discussions on budget were held. If the allowance is included in the pay scale and new allowance is granted after scrutinizing ordinary expenditure, it is manifacted that the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw pay attention to the wishes of service personnel and keep the promise it has pledged. Hluttaw also spotlighted and made constructive discussions on malpractices of some departments.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives,
Reports of parliamentarians may be right. We have to think about how many people who left for foreign countries due to difficulties that cannot be resolved by government salary and how many service personnel who are in service resolving difficulties in their own ways there are.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives,
We have found that there is possibility of increase in allowance and salary after making coordination with departments concerned.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
Our Hluttaw is responsible for passing laws for the sake of the nation and its people. Legislation includes passing new laws, amending, revoking and substituting existing laws.
It is required to pass fair laws that the people can adhere. If laws are unfair and people violate them due to unfairness of law, it will be very sad to see to which people will be charged with violation of unjust laws, thereby deteriorating the national unity and capability.
Every piece of leg i s lat ion should be reasonable and fair and fits for any citizen.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
Some Hluttaw Representatives have discussed matters related to taxation to ensure reasonable and fair legislation. People’s representat ives of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw need to be briefed on sectorwise and industry-wise tax rates and taxation system.
Only then, will the MPs be able to discuss and pass the legislation. So, respective departments responsible for collecting taxes need to submit orders, notifications and directives on taxation in coming fiscal year as soon as possible.
Only when the MPs and responsible departments discuss the bills, will the good taxation laws be approved and profit the country.
Public participation in the process will help get rid of tax evasion and bribery and any other misappropriation.
The cooperation of taxpayers, the people and the lawmakers is crucial for better solutions of taxation.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
Assistance of international community and World Bank and Asian banks, and foreign investments are needed for economic reforms.
Foreign investments, by its nature, are profit-oriented. The poverty rate will drop soon if we legislate for the alleviation of poverty of farmers. We, the Hluttaw, must carry out the task in cooperation with others. It is needed to draft and pass laws to protect the farmers as per the consti tut ion and put them into force as soon as possible. If we legislate for agricultural loans, interest rate, due date, minimum amount of agricultural produce, it will be helpful to farmers in debt crisis, improving the yield and quality. It will also improve trade and service industry, increasing job opportunities and raising salaries benefiting both farm workers and other labour.
We cannot also turn a blind eye to breeders. The project will be pragmatic and will develop rural areas and bring down poverty.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
The comprehensive monetary policy and fiscal policy are important as well as the good banking system for economic development of the country and the interest of the people. Reasonable exchange rate and decent price for the products are required. Measures to raise the currency unnecessarily must not be accepted. Why can’t we continue to fluctuate the currency even though there are some countries proving that it could develop the economy. We have heard complaints that the exchange rate is being kept at K 850 even when an increase to around K 950-1000 would serve the interest of the people and that local farmers, manufacturers and CMP workers face difficulties.
If these are true and those responsible fail to fulfill the desires and needs of the people, the Hluttaw will have to take the responsibility and negotiations need to be made soon.
I would like to explain appointment of central bank governor and the auditorgeneral in Russia. The lower house nominated the central bank governor and the upper house the deputy governor. The upper house nominated the auditorgeneral and the lower house the deputy auditor-general.
The central bank manages the government’s fund and the auditor-general monitors the management. In any system, the roles of the central bank that wisely manage the public budget and the auditor-general who monitors the management are very important. The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw should facilitate their works.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
I’ve learnt that: Do not be frightened whenever intimidated, but be frightened sometimes; Do not be bolstered whenever flattered, but be bolstered sometimes; Do not be softened whenever appeased, but be softened sometimes.
Now is time to face bravely and wisely with genuine goodwill.
Esteemed Speaker and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representatives,
All in all, I would like to urge the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to:-
(1) To provide decent salary and allowance to civil servants by adjusting ordinary expenditure without requesting no extra budget,
(2) To enact laws protecting farmers, breeders and workers as a projection against way of alleviating poverty and enforce effective laws and to address unemployment,
(3) To legislate for internal peace and fund the effort,
(4) To ask respective departments which will levy taxes in 2013-2014 FY to submi t laws, orders and directives to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw along with the budget and seek the approval of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw,
(5) To scrutinize teachers at affiliated schools, postprimary schools, selfreliant schools, monastic schools whose salaries are paid by the people of the community and appoint them officially with decent salaries and allowance since the start of the coming fiscal year,
(6) To make any possible coordination for appointment of newly graduated doctors, reducing the healthcare gap between urban and rural areas, upgrading dispensaries and hospitals and appointment of doctors and nurses,
(7) To dare facing any criticisms in approving the national plan, budget and taxation laws for 2013-2014 fiscal year.