State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister of the State Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivers address at meeting 2/2021 of Provisional Government of the republic of the Union of Myanmar
Nay Pyi Taw September 7
The Meeting No 2/2021 of the Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar took place at the meeting hall of the Office of the State Administration Council, here, this afternoon, with an address by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present at the meeting were Union ministers General Mya Tun Oo, Lt-Gen Soe Htut, U Wunna Maung Lwin, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, U Chit Naing, Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, U Aung Naing Oo, U Ko Ko Hlaing, Dr Daw Thida Oo, U Maung Maung Ohn, U Ko Ko, U Tin Htut Oo, U Hla Moe, Admiral Tin Aung San, U Khin Maung Yi, U Aung Than Oo, Dr Charlie Than, U Khin Yi, U Myint Kyaing, Dr Pwint Hsan, Dr Nyunt Pe, Dr Myo Thein Kyaw, Dr Thet Khaing Win, U Min Thein Zan, U Shwe Lay, Dr Thet Thet Khine, Dr Htay Aung and U Saw Tun Aung Myint together with the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council and chief ministers of regions and states who joined the meeting via Video Conferencing.
In his opening address, the Senior General said the government has been discharging the duty for seven months amid the internal and external difficulties. The responsibility of the government is to undertake the prosperity of the country. In its tenure, the government is striving for ensuring political stability while overcoming the challenges in the third wave of COVID-19 happening across the world.
The third wave of the pandemic started in Myanmar in June and July. Thanks to diligence and perseverance of the leaders and cooperation of the people amid the difficulties, the success has been achieved to some extent.
The infection rate of COVID-19 pandemic is still high. Indonesia among ASEAN countries faces the highest infection rate, followed by the Philippines. Myanmar stands the sixth position among ASEAN countries, having more than 417,000 infected persons and 15,985 dead persons till 6 September. In the early July, infection rate reached 40 percent.
So, the government strived for a half down of infection, and now, infection rate hits just 10 percent. Special emphasis is being placed on medical examination of virus for control the infection rate. Despite declining of infection rate, it should not be careless as it is not totally disappeared now. As the boat race example given by late General Aung San, as unacceptable proud may derail from the achievement, Union ministers and region/state chief ministers should place special emphasis on supervising the tasks.
The main drive of a country is political, economic and defence might. The powerful countries across the world have political might, military might and economic might. It is necessary to strive for having the political might. Some global countries are making efforts for stabilizing the politics. Some countries are powerful in military and economy. The institutions need to strive for political and defence of the countries. But, the whole government tries to develop the State economy for all the citizens to have benefits.
The economic drive is the actually beneficial to the State economy. It is necessary to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 and political stability for improvement of the State economy. The officials taking responsibility at present must make efforts for State prosperity, development and economic improvement.
Only when the people are healthy, can they work and learn. Existing of COVID-19 will affect the health. It is necessary to work for the State prosperity and improvement of economy. Union ministries and region and state chief ministers need to emphasize prevention of COVID-19 as people need to have healthiness for working. Schools were closed for about two months. When the schools open, students will have learning opportunity.
Continuous learning will have improvement in the education sector, so emphasis must be placed on academic matters for the students. Management has been made not to delay import of vaccines and medicines for COVID-19 and other necessary drugs. Instructions have been given for building the ICUs at all hospitals so as to give treatment to patents of COVID-19. Relevant ministries need to arrange tidiness of hospitals.
Myanmar’s main products come out from agricultural and livestock farms. Production ofnatural resources is under limitation.
So, all need to systematically carry out agriculture and livestock farms. Some 7 billion of the global population from various countries always demand the foodstuffs. Many agro-based countries are striving for ensuring smooth food supplies and earning of incomes. Myanmar needs to operate agriculture and livestock tasks to earn foreign exchange via the global market.
There are about 15 million acres of monsoon paddy and two million acres of summer paddy in Myanmar. If 100 baskets ofpaddy can be harvested from one acre of monsoon paddy, enough rice for 100 million people can be produced. As the country has a population of 55 million, we have surplus rice for 45 million people and the surplus can be exported.
However, we cannot export as much rice as we expect to other countries as 100 baskets of paddy cannot be produced from one acre of land. As the economy is concerned with the entire country, relevant ministries are required to take systematic measures to export agricultural products to other countries. Similarly, it is also necessary to offer cash assistance, loans and other necessary assistance to farmers and to prevent losses from agricultural products during the period the SAC is performing state responsibilities. Incomes of farmers will increase if yields can be boosted by utilizing inputs and quality strains and cultivating systematically to the full extent. Therefore, chief ministers of states and regions are required to give priority to agriculture in their respective states and regions.
With regard to edible oil, it is important to produce enough edible oil at home. Therefore, measures are being taken for successful cultivation of oil palms in Taninthayi Region. Oil crops are also grown in Mandalay Region, Sagaing Region, Magway Region, Ayeyawady Region and Shan State. Therefore, responsible officials from the regions and the state are required to encourage cultivation to boost yields. Similarly, imports of cotton can be reduced if the yield of cotton can be boosted by providing quality strains and water supply and fertilizer.
The economic driving force is one of the driving forces of a country. Relevant ministries are required to place emphasis on the economic driving force of our country, which is based on agriculture.
As we are performing responsibilities based on the future tasks and objectives of the SAC, ministries have to implement them through management techniques. It is necessary for ministries to carry out their relevant tasks correctly and quickly, to give priority to successful implementation of existing tasks rather than to implementing new ones and to carry out tasks related to administration, tourism, capacity building of the people, education, health, construction, human resources development successfully by setting goals. When it comes to the development of the country, I always point out the gap between states and regions and urban areas and rural areas as equitable development of all regions is desirable. Priority should be given to regions and states that lag behind others. In conclusion, the Senior General urged ministries to exert efforts for success and development by fulfilling the major needs after taking the entire country into consideration.
Then, participating union ministers reported on respective sectors and sought approvals. After hearing the reports, the Senior General said that the country has suffered losses due to suspension of state-owned factories and it is necessary to review availability of raw materials, inputs and market potentials to resume operations of state-owned factories that have been suspended due to various reasons and to produce quality products. As there are enormous losses of state-owned property due to natural disasters and various reasons and it is important for responsible officials at different levels toprevent losses of state property due to human negligence by urging staff to carry out tasks precisely and conscientiousness, to complete housing for staff, rental apartments and building under construction as scheduled, to take measures for construction of drainage systems, roads, pavements, water supply and sewage system and keeping the environs green and to supervise activities to keep apartments for staff and environs clean and pleasant.
Afterwards, the Senior General delivered concluding remarks on vaccination of COVID-19, saying 2.1 million doses and 2.6 million doses of the vaccines were administered during the first and second campaigns respectively. Arrangements have been made to receive 10 million doses of vaccines this month, another 10 million doses of vaccines in October and 4 million doses of vaccines in November. Moreover, measures are being taken to purchase more COVID-19 vaccines.
Necessary steps are being taken to prevent delays in prevention of COVID-19. A total of US$-169 million has been spent on COVID-19 vaccines and other medical supplies while Ks-566 billion has been spent on repairs of hospitals and clinics, COVID centres and for social organizations. Another US$- 0.5 million has been spent on general requirements. Fundshave been made available readily for prevention of COVID-19 and it is necessary for responsible officials to carry out tasks beneficially.
Contacts are being sought to administer Covid -19 vaccines in the regions where the ethnic armed organizations exist. Although some ethnic organizations are breaching the NCA provisions on various pretexts, the State is seeking contacts with them for vaccination as they have the rights of a citizen.
Anyone should not be left behind in getting vaccinated. Apart from the ethnic armed groups, plans are also being made to administer vaccines to all eligible people in Rakhine State. This is being done not for political cause, but for the State issue, for the national cause and for the country’s sake. This is being done with a sense of human responsibility without party attachment or personality cult. National development and prosperity tasks must be all inclusive.
Myanmar is a sovereign nation. However, some people and organizations are turning a blind eye to the way we are doing with national dignity in dealing with the international community. Officials from the regions and states bordering other countries need to maintain the State dignity and act in accord with the international agreements and pledges in handling border affairs. Any act that can harm the State image must be avoided. Responsible officials must work on improving respective sectors to raise national dignity. Officials from respective ministries must work for the development of respective regions and states.
Thrifty measures must be taken in spending State budgets by reducing ostentation. They must be spent on really beneficial projects. In an effort for national development, officials at union, region and state levels need to go down to grassroots levels.
Greater effort is necessary to motivate the people to trust in the leadership of the chief ministers of regions and states.