Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing addresses meeting 1/2022 of the government of Republic of Union of Myanmar
NAY PYI TAW February 2
The government of the Republic of Union of Myanmar held a meeting 1/2022 at the meeting hall of State Administration Council Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw this morning with an address by Chairman of SAC Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were Union ministers General Mya Tun Oo, U Wunna Maung Lwin, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung, U Win Shein, 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 Daw Thet Thet Khaing, Dr Htay Aung and U Saw Tun Aung Myint.
In his keynote address, the Senior General said the current government is in office for eight months in the financial year 2020- 2021. The former government took office for four months. After the present government took over the duties, there was only some progress in the economic and security sectors because of a certain political situation.
There is weakness in fulfilling the requirements of transport business and inputs including raw material supply for production.
Security forces have to restore the situation as strikes evolved into different stages of destructive acts from violent lootings and killings to bomb attacks and arson attacks.
Tatmadaw took effective action against ethnic armed groups in controlling the situation. During the process, innocent people, civil servants and members
of the Myanmar Police Force and Tatmadaw, who were shouldering security duties, were killed or wounded. The Senior General felt sorry for them. Because of those incidents, the government could not exert all-out efforts for the economy.
Provisional statements show a trade surplus of US$-677 million during the period till October in the financial year 2020- 2021 thanks to the endeavours exerted by the Union ministers with the public involvement amidst the criticism, attacks and disturbances. The country will see an increase in trade surplus in the coming financial year.
It is a success, and the Union ministers who made efforts for this success, deserve gratitude.
The country needs a sharp rise in exports. Encouragement must be given to export agriculture and farm products rather than natural resources. As the production industry needs manpower, it generates job opportunities for citizens. So, efforts should be made to further increase agriculture and farm exports. The country has the capacity to export a large volume of agriculture and farm products to its neighbours, China, India and Bangladesh. Quality goods will fetch extra foreign exchange. About 70 per cent of the country's population earns their living through rice, beans, corn cultivation or farming. So the country should turn its agro and farm products into value-added quality products. As the government could bring progress even in the hard times in 2021, it believes that the country will be able to increase its exports as the situation has turned back to normal. According to the statistics of the relevant ministry, the production of cotton, one of the export items, exceeds the local demand.
However, the country imported US$-1,280.52 million worth of textiles and related products in 2021. An appropriate amount of taxes were imposed on the country’s cotton exports and it has to import fabrics for the garment industry at high costs.
The country can reduce imports if it can turn cotton into finished goods. The country will be able to fulfil the local demand and support the local garment
industry by doing so. Fulfilling the local textile and clothing needs is the top priority of the country and from there, it must increase garment exports. In this regard, local and foreign investment must be invited to manufacture quality goods by upgrading the weaving industry.
Long-staple cotton and short-staple cotton are grown in our country and the latter is mostly grown in the country. In the world, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and India are the countries well-known for cotton. There are some countries in Central Asia successful in growing cotton.
If relevant experts from those countries are associated with the production of quality long-staple cotton, that will be much helpful to our country’s cotton cultivation and production.
Regarding the utility of water, there are three ways of utilizing water in our country in the agriculture, livestock and public consumption sectors. During the year 2021, the weather was fine and rainfall was good enough for storing water in dams. But, water stored in dams is to be utilized to generate electricity.
The water stored in dams is to be effectively utilized not only in the production of electricity but in agriculture. There were difficulties in the generation of electricity
due to excessively surging prices of LNG, shortage of natural gas supply and maintenance of natural gas power plants. Besides, some power transmission towers were destroyed by terrorists. Accordingly, to generate an adequate supply of electricity, water stored in dams has been used.
Therefore, it is important to use water systematically and effectively. As there are many cultivated areas with pumped and irrigated water in our country, it is needed to take educational tasks on water utility management. These days,
there are many countries that have a lack fresh water in the world. According to experts’ assessment, it is learnt that 80 per cent of Ayeyawady River water flows into the sea and only the remaining 20 per cent could be utilized. Though Israel is a country lacking freshwater, it is the country with the highest per acre yield in agriculture.
As our country is rich in natural water resources, it is required for ministries concerned to make efforts to effectively utilize the water resources.
The Ministry of Electricity and Energy needs to develop projects to pump water from rivers with the use of electrici power. To pump water from rivers, solar power could be utilized. If the river water pumping projects will be developed as soon as possible, agriculture in the upcountry regions will be thriving. A government has to carry out tasks for the development of its country. Only if there is a growth in the people’s sources of revenue, will there be the development of the country.
Therefore, it is needed for ministries concerned to carry out tasks to get the agriculture industry improved in cooperation with entrepreneurs from the private sector through exporting agricultural products to markets constantly.
It is learnt that there are 50 gallons on average water consumption per person per day in the country. Some countries have strict policies on how to consume water. It is necessary to take educational measures on public consumption of water.
On the livestock breeding front, it is necessary to have good water for the animals. It is important to utilize water systematically.
With regard to electricity supply, the government has been making all-out efforts to ensure adequate supply. It is necessary for all to save electric power, on one hand, there is a need to boost the supply on the other hand. Generation of power is a task given priority to ensure improvement of socio-economic life of the people, businesses, manufacturing industries and public transportation sector. Ministries concerned including the Ministry of Information are to constantly take tasks to educate the people so that they will save water and electricity.
The Senior General explained the economic development of the State and enhancement of defence capability. He said:
“The year 2022 becomes a challenging able year for us. If we can resurge the economy, we will win the trust of the people.
We have three ambitions. For the first point, we have pledged to resurge the State economy.
Based on last year’s experiences, we don’t have any reason to do so. We have to strive for the improvement of the economy in 2022. And then, we will do all tasks related to democratization mentioned in the political future tasks. If the country is in good political and economic trends, we have to turn to the defence system. For example, our country does not practise the military conscription law yet. Every citizen is responsible for military service. We don’t practise that law because of happening the internal armed conflicts. If we have comprehensively completed the first and second points, we have to enhance the defence capability for the third point. At that time, citizens need to serve the military service under the law. They have to serve it for two or three years in line with the prescription.
The term will be one year or one and a half years. It will depend on the situation of the country. It is a must for all. If the country does not have defence capability, we will face a loss. If so, other countries do not pay respect to us. If we are weak in the economy, we will feel inferior. If we are weak in political power, other countries would make trouble for us. If we have weak defence capability, we will face the assaults of others. Our fence will not be safe. These are three musts for us. So, we will do to carry out these tasks this year as must as possible.”
The Union ministers sought approvals for respective sectors.
In his concluding remarks, the Senior General said that in spending the foreign exchange, trade deficit came out in the times of previous governments.
In the long term, the debt problems may be mounted. So, it is necessary to calculate such prospects, ministries need to save spending on foreign exchange except for the compulsory measures. If possible, they need to spend the currency of Myanmar. Ministries need to cut spending of funds on unnecessary issues but in the construction tasks which would be actual needs.
It is necessary to spend the international loans efficiently, and these loans must be essential for the departments. The ministries must levy the tax which should be collected. Only when the private sector improves will the export volume be larger. Income from the exportation will generate tax for the State. Ministries need to strive for earning the deserved taxes rather than increase the rate of tax.
Service personnel are not to be appointed without needs. It is necessary to supervise the capacity enhancement of appointed staff to be able to dutifully serve their assigned duties.
Currently, hiking prices are based on high production costs, larger transport charges and high prices of raw materials.
Ministerial officials need to consider how to control the high prices of goods. As it depends on the high transport charge, it is necessary to improve the public transport system. if so, consumption of fuel bought in foreign currency can be cut effectively. Efforts must be made for providing adequate raw materials to the domestic industries and for increasing the production of goods to meet the demand. Only when the authorities encourage domestic production will it contribute to the State economy and protect the national interests. Hence, all need to strive for implementing it. Ministries should make efforts for the development of the nation in various ways and means during the rest period of the financial year.