Suu Kyi’s party proposes committee to change army-drafted charter.

THE Star ONLINE 

Wednesday, 30 Jan 2019

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar’s ruling party has proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the military’s power over politics as enshrined in the charter.

The proposal yesterday could add to the tension between the military and Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), which have been at loggerheads over the charter since the party’s historic landslide election win in 2015.

The surprise bid to reform the constitution comes as civilian and military leaders face growing international pressure over an army crackdown on Rohingya Mus­lims in 2017 that sent 730,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bang­ladesh.

Addressing parliament yesterday, speaker T. Khun Myat said NLD member of parliament Aung Kyi Nyunt had submitted an “emergency proposal” to form a parliamentary committee for amending the constitution.

The speaker turned down an objection by military lawmaker Bri­g­adier-General Maung Maung that the proposal breached “procedure”.

Parliament was set to vote later yesterday on whether to discuss the proposal further, a motion requiring a simple majority.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi’s NLD commands a large majority in the two houses of parliament.

But the 2008 constitution, drafted during military rule, guarantees the army a quarter of seats and changes to the charter require votes of more than 75%, giving the army an effective veto.

The constitution also blocks Suu Kyi from becoming president due to a prohibition on presidential candidates with foreign spouses or children. Suu Kyi had two sons with her late British academic husband.

For nearly three years, she has ruled from “above the president” by creating a new position of state counsellor.

The constitution also gives military control of key security ministries, including defence and home affairs.

Suu Kyi has long spoken of her aim to reform the constitution as part of a democratic transition after 50 years of strict military rule.

“The amendment of the constitution was one of the goals of our government,” she said during a forum in Singapore in August.

“The completion of our democratic transition must necessarily involve the completion of a truly democratic constitution.” — Reuters

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