Myanmar’s Defence Services Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing(Left) shakes hands with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar (Source:midco.net) Hanoi (VNA) – Myanmar’s Defence Services Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing appointed military officials, who hold a quarter of seats as standard in the parliament, as members of parliament (MPs), reported by the state media on January 19.
According to “The Global New Light of Myanmar” daily, the Union Election Commission had confirmed the military lawmakers for both national and regional parliaments.
Earlier, during a meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw on January 18, Myanmar Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Vice Senior General Soe Win announced that the leading role of the country’s military force is to cooperate with the next government.
The newly appointed military MPs will attend their first session together with representatives elected by the public in the general election, held in November last year.
In the national bicameral parliament (two house system), 166 military MPs will serve. Another 220 will serve in 14 state and regional assemblies. Major General Tauk Tun is the most senior military lawmaker selected for the lower house, and major general Than Soe for the upper house.
The 25 percent of seats allocated in the national parliament gives the military an effective veto over changes to the 2008 junta-drafted constitution, which bans Aung San Suu Kyi (NLD party) from becoming the president because her late husband was British, and her sons are not Myanmar citizens.
Three key security ministries - defence, border affairs and home affairs - also remain under the control of the commander-in-chief.
The NLD-led government will take power in March, following a presidential election carried out in the national parliament in February.-VNA
