The speech on one-year State responsibilities discharged by the State Administration Council delivered by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing
From February 3
happily and safely under the umbrella of our country. Therefore, we need ton support our domestic products. In our government term, we are working to reopen iron and steel plants, which were previously shut down. We will work to produce at least steel rods and steel coils used in construction. In 2021, the import of oil, including cooking palm oil, was 858,685.271 tonnes worth US$-866.711 million. Therefore, we will work to ensure local oil security and to reduce imports from abroad.
Our country has an estimated population of 55 million. In terms of health, the minimum daily consumption of oil is 2.2 ticals per person, which is approximately eight visses of cooking oil per year, and 0.7 million tonnes of oil consumption in our country. As our country produces edible oil crops like groundnut, sesame, sunflower, soya-bean and palm oil our people are consuming oil more than the minimum amount. Over consuming oil will not only increase the cost individually but affect the individual health and national health as well. Therefore, awareness- raising campaigns are being conducted on the healthy consumption of edible oil to change food consumption and thereby to increase per capita income.
Similarly, I’d like to inform you about fuel consumption. There are over one million cars and six million motorcycles in our country. In 2021, over 4.12 million tonnes of fuel worth US$-2,496.652 million were imported. This is due to the weak public transportation system in our country, so people have to rely on their vehicles. This issue needs to be addressed by promoting the use of public transport such as trains, buses, ships, and by reducing individual fuel consumption. Our government is also working to improve the services of public transport. I’d like to urge the public to contribute to the development of the nation by using their fuel consumption sparingly. For example, six million motorcycles could save 125,000 gallons by reducing fuel consumption by half a tin a day. Similarly, one million cars could save 125,000 gallons by reducing fuel consumption by half a bottle per day. At an average price of Ks-6,000 per gallon, it can be reduced to Ks-1.5 billion per day. We need to work together for this and the development of our country.
Access to electricity greatly contributes to the socio-economic development of the country. In our country, natural resources such as water, sun, and wind are existing. Although the cost of investing in the implementation of hydropower projects is high, and the cost can be accurately calculable, the returns are incaculable. In our country, except for the rainy areas, the sunny days in the whole country are 200 to 250 days per year. Therefore, if we could build sufficient solar power plants, it will be able to meet the electricity needs of the country. Although solar power energy is a huge investment for various reasons, the construction time is short and the cost savings are high. If we generate more hydropower, solar power and use low-level LED-based electrical appliances which require lower electricity consumption, it will reduce the amount of our need to import fuel.
The COVID-19 pandemic causes negative impacts upon the economic growth of many countries. In response to the pandemic, our country has also built the Ks-200 billion Covid Fund to address the impacts on the country’s economy from which business people can withdraw loans. The duration of the loan repayment has been extended to the next six months totalling one year now.
During the outbreak of the pandemic, the agriculture and livestock-based economies play a key role despite the decrease in some other business sectors.
Our country is an agricultural and livestock-based nation. There are about 70 percent of rural people who operate agricultural and livestock breeding businesses. Therefore, it needs “pedigree, soil, water, technic”, which are essentials to improve the production rate in the agricultural sector and we develop proper farmland by combining the natural fertilizer and chemical fertilizers to gain such good pedigrees and also arrange for water and proper farming techniques. Being an agricultural country, the country emphasizes local food security and higher export volume than before. The government also upgrades the regions/ states agricultural schools into institutes and colleges to emerge the intellectuals, experts and skilled persons for modern farming industries.
In the Livestock Show and Contest to mark Diamond Jubilee Union Day organized in Nay Pyi Taw, the cattle, including goats and sheep, across the nation participated in the contest. We can see good pedigrees among the local, mixed and foreign categories.
When the food is rare in summer, the local products such as corn, maize, grass and hay and other animal feeds are produced well and if we expand that sector, it will bring benefits to the farmers. If we breed systematically, it will also benefit the country and so I would like to add that we should work hard to produce modern livestock breeding experts.
More than 70 percent of Myanmar population are living in rural areas and the government has to apply effective ways to reduce the poverty and narrow the gap between the regions.
Supporting locally-made products, we made efforts to encourage local products and reduce imports that can be produced in the country. We reopen the businesses and we permit the imports of raw materials and the export for locally-made finished products without the need for an export licence under the relaxing programmes. And as there are delays in the sea route, we eased the import sector for border trade camps.
Between 1 February to November 2021, we permitted 27 industries of 12 foreign investments worth US$-3,552.396 million under the Myanmar Investment Law, while 37 industries of 12 local investors worth Ks-332,966.380 million were granted.
Esteemed ethnic nationals, I’d like to highlight social affairs.
Before Tatmadaw takes State responsibilities, Religious organizations such as Ma Ba Tha, an organization for the protection of race and religion and other organizations that run religious affairs and Parahitas were demolished for various reasons. The pagodas and religious buildings were also closed under the reason of COVID-19 and the propaganda was spread as the State economy declined due to the monks.
Myanmar traditional cultures such as singing, dancing, composing and playing instruments are National Treasures.
Previously, the combined dance with Myanmar traditional dance became popular and Myanma culture reached its dangerous level. The religious and cultural arenas were destroyed due to the dance wearing shoes on the terrace of the Shwedagon Pagoda. The moral values of young people regarding Myanma customs and traditions like being faithful to elders, respecting peers and sympathizing with younger ones are also destroyed using online media.
About 87 percent of our population are Buddhists. During the term of the previous government, they restricted the religious training courses for young students and added the sex education lessons that affect Myanma culture.
We need to protect religion from being confused with politics, and we need to conduct systematic measures in order to keep our religion clean and bright. It has infiltrated politicians to the point of concealing the true history and inciting hatred against the military among the youths.
Esteemed ethnic nationals, After Tatmadaw took State responsibilities, Tatmadaw reopened the pagodas, religious buildings of other religions, which were closed for the reason of COVID-19, to the public starting 8 February 2021 in line with the COVID-19 health rules. Depending on the conditions, we permitted the mass gathering and ceremonies following the rules.
The State Administration Council currently work hard in implementing State stability and genuine democracy in line with the five-point roadmap. It also released pardons for those who were prosecuted at the respective courts of the nation for participating in protests due to the incitements of CRPH and NUG terrorist groups and political extremists on humanitarian grounds, to ease the griefs of the public and participate in the building of nation on the significant days: a total of 47,879 inmates – 23,369 inmates on 12-2-2021, Union Day, 23,184 inmates on 17-4-2021, Myanmar New Year, 1,316 inmates on 18-10-2021, full moon day of Thadingyut and 10 inmates on 20-11-2021. The government will also arrange for those who do not destroy public security and State stability on certain significant days.
The day, 12 February 2022, is our Diamond Jubilee Union Day. The government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar will celebrate Diamond Jubilee Union Day on a grand scale for all ethnic nationals with two points (1) to strengthen the Union Spirit and (2) to accelerate the peacemaking processes.
Our government will undertake three phases step by step- drafting the processes to strengthen the Union Spirit, forming the organizations consisting of ethnic nationals and implementing tasks practically.
We instituted the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs to protect the rights of ethnic nationals. We also arrange to hold the 23rd Sokayeti Contest (singing, dancing, composing, instrument playing competition) in October 2022 to preserve the national characteristics following the culture and traditions of the ethnic people.
Esteemed ethnic nationals, I’d like to present further State responsibilities to be discharged according to the current situation of the country;
- I have already briefed current political issues, security, economy, social affairs and future work plans of the country.
- When the government declared State Emergency and took State responsibilities under Section 417 of the Constitution, we put all our hearts and souls into the State responsibilities but we encountered domestic/foreign interferences.
Esteemed ethnic nationals, - The strength of our country within us. We believe and rely on the internal strength of our country.
- Our internal strength within our country can enhance our development tasks even though it is necessary to get external assistance.
- In the first, our economy will be developed by our internal strength. We have abundant natural resources and human resources. We have weakness in the socio-economic development of the people as we have been relying on external products or exports rather than our domestic production.
- Secondly, we will build our political strength internally. Building a Union and multi-party democratic system based on democracy and federalism will definitely enhance our political strength.
- Thirdly, the defence power of the country should be strengthened with the participation of all ethnic national people. United strength both in weals and woes, we all will build the defence power of our country with modern military (Army, Navy and Air Force) prowess.
- I’d like to call for consideration and participation of all ethnic national people.
In concluding,
- Full of responsibility and accountability, the Government will make its concerted efforts for the country and people.
- The perpetuation of the country and defence services for the people and country is the greatest responsibility of the Tatmadaw.
- I pledge a “genuine and disciplined multi-party democratic system” and “building a Union based on democracy and federalism”.
- The Government is exerting efforts to implement its commitments. I called for the entire people to cooperate with us so as to achieve a better future for the country and people.
- I reiterate our wishes for the good health and well-being of all ethnic nationals.
Thank You.