The Second Pyidaungsu Hluttaw continued debating the Joint Scrutinizing Committee’s report on the Second Bill to Amend the Constitution during its 16th-day meeting, 13th regular session, yesterday. The bill was submitted by 145 Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives, including MP Dr Maung Tin of Meiktila constituency.
MPs debate on future steps for Constitution
Firstly, MP U San Myint of Ayeyawady Region constituency 3 voiced his approval of the report. He said the 2008 Constitution needs to be amended in order to pave way for a Union based on democratic and federal values, as wanted by the people.
He said careful analysis of the Constitution showed that it contained provisions that were undemocratic, incoherent, contradictory, and obstructive to systems of democracy and federalism. He said the time was right for all Hluttaw representatives to muster the courage and wisdom required to realize the wishes of the nation, its ethnic people and future generations.
Next, Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Major Lwin Maung Soe said the Hluttaw and its conduct need to adhere to the enacted laws and it was every representative’s duty to expose and prevent improper conduct. He said he rejected the bill report as the direction it was pursuing did not conform with constitutional amendment provisions as it is attempting to merge two different processes.
Following this, MP U Pe Than of Myebon constituency said there was a great need for earnest participation and negotiations regarding this matter. He said the main issue is a limited time period and if no individual or combined negotiations could be reached then the matter must be submitted to the Hluttaw with due haste.
The nation was at a crucial stage of constitution amendment and all MPs must debate for the benefit of the entire nation and not for the sake of winning their arguments, said MP U Pe Than.
The report was further debated by Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Lt-Col Tun Lin Oo, Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Major Thaung Htike Soe, Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Major Aung Thwin Soe, MP U Kyaw Myint Oo of Mandalay Region constituency 10, Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Major Nay Win, MP U Nan Mon Htin of Machanbaw constituency, Tatmadaw Pyithu Hluttaw representative Major Sein Tun, and MP U Si Hu Dwe of Kachin State constituency 2.
Deputy Ministers explain ADB loan
Next, Deputy Construction Minister U Kyaw Lin and Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Maung Maung Win explained to the assembly the matter of acquiring US$51.20 million from the Asian Development Bank as funding for the rural road networking project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Construction.
U Kyaw Lin explained they would upgrade a combined 152 kilometers of road in Maubin and Pantanaw townships in Ayeyawady Region and Natmauk and Myothit townships in Magway Region into nylon-tar and bitumen roads.
He said that the project would bring with it upgradation and maintenance of rural roads in Ayeyawady and Magway regions, new technology to shelter the rural road network from natural disasters, and roads that can be safely traversed in all weathers.
The Deputy Minister urged the assembly to approve the motion and Speaker U T Khun Myat then announced that MPs who were interested in discussing the loan could register their names.
Union officials respond to tax revenue report
Afterwards, the assembly continued hearing from Union-level officials responding to the report from the Joint Public Accounts Committee (No 12/2019) regarding the tax revenue list of Union Ministries and organizations in the first six months of fiscal year 2018-2019, sent from the Union Government.
Agri-ministry exceeds fishery tax collection
First, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Hla Kyaw responded that Section 39 of The Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Bylaw has designated the land tax exemption period for various businesses on the different types of land. He said they have notified authorities to impose fines for late payments or evasion and alerted those who haven’t paid yet to do so urgently.
The Deputy Minister said Section 21 of The Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Law stated that those who violated the tax payments provisions would have their deposited security fees converted into State finance and their right to cultivate or utilize the land will be revoked.
He said the matter of law tax arrears for 2017-2018 FY would be discussed thoroughly in the upcoming meeting No 21/2019 of the Central Committee for the Management of Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands.
The Deputy Minister said there were 3,404 individuals who were excluded from the 2018-2019 land tax exemption period. He said K1,421 million in tax had been projected for 512,000 acres of land and those concerned have been notified of tax levy starting in September.
The Deputy Minister said his ministry had collected K3,484.332 million from fishery businesses in the first six months of the current fiscal year, thus achieving 134 per cent of the projected K2,607 million target. He said they would continue to levy tax and conduct management in line with the procedures prescribed by the nation.
Car ownership registration streamlined
Next, Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications U Kyaw Myo said there were 580,000 auto-telephone lines and 438 telephone exchanges across Myanmar and up to July 2019, they have swapped 330,000 lines and 110 exchanges for multi-service access nodes.
The Deputy Minister said car owners tried to evade the recently high sales tax by providing false names and addresses. He said they discussed with the Ministry of Planning and Finance to resume the previous system of converting the car owner’s name after reviewing tax matters, so that tax revenue was not lost.
The report was discussed further by the Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism and the deputy ministers for office of the Union Government, natural resources and environmental conservation, electricity and energy, commerce, and planning and finance. Next, Joint Public Accounts Committee member Daw Ni Ni Dun moved for the Hluttaw to approve report 12/2019. The Speaker called for the deliberation of the Hluttaw, received no opposition and announced that the joint committee’s report has been approved and the tax revenue list sent by the Union Government has been put on record.
The 17th-day meeting of the Second Pyidaungsu Hluttaw’s 13th regular session will commence tomorrow. —Aung Ye Twin, Aye Aye Thant (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
