State and Region Parliaments News Bulletin

Issue (41) _ Thursday, 19th October 2017 Refunds to be provided if former Gov’t’s public land is contrary to the law, Mandalay Region Govt decide

September 19, 2017

There were about 100 cases of Region Parliament Session in July the U Myat Thu.Regarding the proposal, 2016 submitted the proposal “to Mandalay Region Chief Minister inspect the large area of land plots and formed a land special investigation confiscated land, after refunding, from fallow land allotted to private land group which inspected the land issue the public land allocated by the former during the government transition on the ground, wrote the report based government in Mandalay Region, periods to be managed for the public on the findings, and then submitted it according to U Myat Thu, Minister of use.” The proposal was successful. to the government within five months, Planning, and Finance. Majority of the The refund for the allotted private according to U Tin Aung, a regional nearly 100 cases happened in Pyigyi land is the proposal’s follow-up, and MP (Chanmya Thazi Constituency -1), Dagun and Amarapura townships. the region government group made Reference:who led www.burma.irrawaddy.com the special investigation U Myint Aung Moe (Chanmya Thazi such decision over the land case group. Constituency-2) ) at the Mandalay report by the parliament, according to Mon Gov’t’s allocated Short News budget laid out to public Anyone, who wants to gather, gives speech and stages a protest at the compound of “Hit-Tai” of Tanintharyi for the first time Region Parliament, must carry out in accordance with the Peaceful Assembly October 14, 2017 and Peaceful Procession Act, according to the official of Dawei Township Police Station. “There is no limit for the number of Mon State, for the first time, published its citizen’s budget report of its allocated the protestors. A single person can also budget for 2017-18 fiscal year, laying it out to the public, with the purpose of having hold up a sign and stage the protest,” transparency to the public. Minister of Planning, Finance, Immigration, and Population, said the official. U Wunna Kyaw said that the purpose of the report published was so as to succeed in Note: Hit-Tai means a place where an the aim of the State Government’s policy, to be an effective public budgetary system, Reference:individual Tanintharyi or group Journal can express their and to have public finance transparency. Please check it again. U Wunna Kyaw added grievances or demonstrate their will. that in order for the public to understand how the tax collected from the public is allocated, the government lays out the allocated budget. The public, in return, is urged to study the government’s activity and constructively advise it as The meeting of the four pillars- needed. Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, and “It is to lay out to the public how the tax collected is allocated. The public, in Media – took place on October 14, in return, is urged to study the government’s work and openly advise as needed,“ said Ayeyarwaddy Region. The heads of Minister U Wunna Kyaw. Executive, legislative and judiciary The 14 projects that the Mon State government has prioritized, in its 2017-18 departments as well as media groups fiscal year, include better road (infrastructure), electric power, urban development, from respective townships were present and garbage collection system. at the meeting. “Doing this shows not only the government’s accountability but also its transpar- “We will always work hard for the ency. The past government did not lay out such allocated budget to the public. It can betterment of the mechanism between be said that this is the first time this government does. The [Hluttaw] expects the the region government and media public to follow this,” said U Aung Naing Oo, Deputy Speaker of Mon State groups,” said U Win Htay, the Minister Parliament. of Electric Power, Energy, Industry, and According to the state government’s report of the 2017-18 fiscal year budget, Transportation, on behalf of the Ayeyar- Reference:Mon State’s 7daydaily estimated income is over 14 billions Kyat but it’s expense is more than Reference:waddy Region Eleven Media Chief Minister, at the 86 billions Kyat. meeting. State and Region Parliaments News Bulletin Issue 41

Photo: EMReF Region and State Hluttaw yet able to carry out in accordance with Constitution’s permitted rights

October 9, 2017

U Kyaw Zeya continued that at state] regions are still facing limitedness, present, Yangon Region Parliament regarding the power sector, according The region and state parliaments can faces the issues that the government to Ma Nyein Thiri Swe, Senior Research yet implement in accordance with the group rejected when the MPs commented Officer of Enlightened Myanmar Research rights provided in the 2008 Constitution on the change of YBS [Yangon Bus Foundation (EMReF), who discussed at and respective government groups are still Service] system; Water Bus Project was the panel discussion.. very much weak in check and balance. presented to the Parliament, and no report “Although region and state parliaments’ U Kyaw Zeya, Representative of on Yangon City Projects is presented to legislative sector is improved, there is Yangon Region Parliament, stated as the Parliament yet. This shows the limitedness, including the word saying above, at the panel discussion of region weakness of check and balance between “in accordance with the Union’s existing and state parliament sectors, held at the Hluttaw and government at the law”” said Ma Nyein Thiri Swe. Yangon Book Plaza, on October 7. Yangon RegionParliament. The Info Digest Journal led this Panel “There are weaknesses, which must Although the Union Parliament has Discussion, and MP of Yangon Region be changed. Also, until today, the for the first time amended and Parliament U Kyaw Zeya, U Han Zaw Yangon Region Parliament can only improved some of the sectors of editor of Info Digest Journal and Senior approve the budget law presented by the legislative and power [to do] by the Reference;Research 7Daydaily Officer of EMReF Ma Nyein government group. It can yet implement region and state parliament as in the Thiri Swe participated in the talk. other laws,” said U Kyaw Zeya. 2008 Constitution, the [region and Two questions by Aung-Lan MP to be submitted to Union Gov’t , says Magway Region Gov’t

October 12, 2017

the questions would be submitted to the union government because the Max the union level government. Myanmar Co. Ltd is holding long-term Hluttaw representative U Aye Kyaw The Social Affair Minister also lease, by BOT system, with permission (Aung-Lan Constituency 2) questioned replied that since the Union-level from the union government. at Magway Region Parliament session health ministry would decide for “I am satisfied with this answer since whether a branch of rural health center setting up of new rural health centers, they are crossing the line as permitted. I’d in Aung-Lan Township will be open and the case would be presented to the like that actual investigation is taken and whether 24-ft width of road Pyay to union health ministry. actions should be taken,” said U Aye Aung-Lan will be expanded. In response U Tin Nwe Oo, the Minister of Reference:Kyaw. 7daydaily to the question, the region government Construction, answered that the road group’s ministers, instead, stated that expansion case would be presented to | 2 | State and Region Parliaments News Bulletin Issue 41 Sagaing Hluttaw conference goes Facebook live-streaming

October 11, 2017

Sagaing Region Parliament live- streamed its regular meeting, which resumed on October 11, through its official Facebook page, the Sagain Region Hluttaw with the purpose of becoming the transparent parliament and having publicly access to the representatives’ proposals, answers, and questions to be watched and criticized. Since it is in the test-run period, there need improvements, and the parliament has plan to advance technical concerns. The Hluttaw representatives welcome the live-streaming and the parliament’s plan, adding that it would be more effective and useful for both the parliament and public. “MPs now have more challenges than before. This is because the public is keeping eyes on the representatives’ behaviors. So, they have to be careful, including basic routine activities,” said Reference:representative DVB Daw Thant Wai Kyaw (Kalay Township Constituency).

State and Region Parliaments Sagaing Hluttaw to prioritize News Bulletin the proposal submission for Collected and Presented by Naga zone development to Union Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF) October 11, 2017

- Contact - such ration. Rather, if a village has a sub- +95 9 261654045 health center with a midwife, this will U Kal, Hluttaw Representative (Lahe particularly be able to help provide health township constituency) at the tenth regular care services for both newly- born babies session of Sagaing Region Parliament and their mothers,” said U Kal. submitted the proposal which aimed to “It is necessary to present for the www.emref.org set up rural sub-health centers in 25 clinics, rural health centers as fast as www.mypilar.org villages in Lahe Township, [Naga self- possible, as the union government administered zone] Sagaing Region, for allocates them. I recommend Naga zone the development of health care. is given special priority,” said Dr. Zaw “According to the need of the region, Win, Social Affair Minister of the the government department’s policy Sagaing Region. Dr. Zaw Win continued www.facebook.com/emrefmyanmar should not be applied. The policy sets for that the matters of education and the ratio of the households and the Reference:health are 7daydaily provided not as in the consti- population for one teacher and one head tution but as necessary for Naga region. of the health center. We should not apply | 3 |