Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing addresses Union Government meeting 5/2022
NAY PYI TAW July 29
The Union Government held the meeting 5/2022 at SAC Chairman’s Office here this afternoon, addressed by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and Union ministers.
Political changes The Senior General said SAC has been implementing the five-point roadmap and nine objectives since its assumption of the duties and the goal is to practice multi-party democracy and to build a Union based on democracy and federalism.
Democracy ensures the right to disagree. It is natural that political parties with ideological differences and even single parties with different ideologies exist in democracies. When the country regained independencein 1948, it adopted the parliamentary democracy system, and the AFPFL was the single ruling party. Others were just small parties. But later AFPFL was split into different factions. Factions appeared due to the quest for exit strategies resulting from individual or group power building and political inexperience.
In 1962, the Revolutionary Council adopted the centralized system and installed the Burma Socialist Programme Party which was the sole party of that time. Revolutionary Council Chairman General Ne Win tried to practice socialism through a single party system. But there were differences in socialist ideologies.
Formation of other parties was not allowed, so there was no political exit strategy, and this led to the outbreak of factional disputes. After Tatmadaw assumed the State duties in 1988 it paved the democratic path although it was not a political party. It allowed the formation of political parties and put the country onto the democratic path. The first democratic government took office in 2011.
Democracy allowed options for exit strategies that produced changes. But there were pros and cons. There were no restrictions against freedom as long as the law was not offended.
The 2020 election results led to political instability. So, Tatmadaw assumed the duties in accord with the Constitution.
The government allows democratic exit strategies and is abiding by the Constitution.
Except for attempts to create political instability, it permits party conferences and meetings and political bilateral meetings. Democracy seeks majority approval through negotiations, and it can be called the “Democracy Culture”. If democracy cultural ruins, so does the State stability.
In fact, the current political situation is the result of the failure to correctly use the political exit strategy. The State has increased the allowances of civil servants, in addition to salaries. Civil servants must stay away from party politics.
Their duties are to serve the State and not to do politics. They can do politics through the political channel. Every citizen is free to partake in politics, but according to the law.
International Relations Regarding international relations, there have been attempts to segregate us from the international community when we are taking the responsibilities of the State. When the nation was going on the path to the multi-party democracy system in 2011, some powerful nations took time and intentionally plotted to infiltrate the people, who can be controlled to their satisfaction, in the key sectors of Myanmar’s politics.
It has been seen that in order that such people would have existence on the political stage, they provided cash, manpower and advisory assistance to them from every side. Now, it is learnt that their assistance was of every hue. Such acts of assistance of every hue have stopped with many reasons when the people, who they want, are no longer on the political stage of our country. The Constitution is the basic law recognized by the people and it was enacted with 92.4 percent of the eligible voters. It has been experienced that they have discriminated against us ignoring the Constitution. Similarly, in international relations, they have acted ignoring the true, normal situation of our nation.
The need of ensuring peace In respect of peace, if the government takes measures for the livelihood of ethnic people in the armed conflict areas, that will be helpful to a certain extent. Things the EAOs want to be are to be carried out in the legal frameworks. Therefore, we explained our national and political objectives to them while having peace talks and have done constructive talks.
The political objective is to move forward to a multi-party democracy system and build the Union with a combined democratic administration system and federal administration system. As these points have been accepted, we could continue to hold the talks to ensure peace. It has been said that the national objective is to ensure prosperity of the nation and plenty of food. Political passages are given in our political objective.
It is necessary to make efforts to ensure peace through applying such passages. In reviewing elections, elections could not be performed fully in all the townships. It is to perform to ensure progress in political results. Therefore, the government has to make endeavors to make sure that fundamental facts we are doing will be firmed.
It is necessary to review rule of law and peace and stability of the nation over the additional six months period from February 1, 2022 after taking the responsibilities of the State. In rule of law, there has been better development of changes in the country except some regions than that in 2021. There has been tranquility and stability.
Only if cooperation is built with each other’s trust, will there be good, firm fundamental things.
Need for economic growth As committed earlier, we will be trying to realize the objectives till success is achieved.
They are being implemented by the government. Studying the accounts and data, our country’s economy has been declining since 2018. The previous government didn’t not encourage domestic productivity but emphasized imports. Our government is striving to review our economy.
The national strength of a country lies within, so domestic economy must be encouraged.
In the time of the Socialist Party Programme, domestic economy was emphasized. In the time of the Tatmadaw government, it focused on import first and then on market economy due to financial difficulties.
This time, we must try to boost domestic production for national economic growth. Quality domestic productivity and boosting production must be encouraged.
Ks-400 billion has been allotted to revive the economy that declined due to the Covid pandemic.
As such, we need to raise agricultural and livestock breeding activities to ensure a quick win. Agriculture and livestock breeding is a first priority and productivity-related factories and industries a second priority. As production ဘsector concerns the public, it must serve the public interest.
When they become successful, we must be able to build strong economy based on productivity.
In this regard, SMEs must be encouraged.
When it comes to import and export sectors Reviewing them, both government and private sectors exported goods worth about Ks-8 billion. Government exports exceeded private exports.
So, we still need to encourage SMEs. Exports alone are not enough and non-trade is necessary.
Various ministries have to spend foreign exchange.
To earn foreign exchange, we cannot rely on trade alone. The ministries must try to earn foreign exchange.
Need for education promotion The Senior General said: On 2 June, we opened all schools.
All regular courses are also opened at the universities. Basic education is a first priority. We have estimated that there are about 9.5 million students in the basic education sector. This is round figure. In comparison with the 2019-2020 academic year, we estimated there are about 9.5 million students in 2022-2023. The number may be more or less. However, the round figure is about 9.5 million.
Over 7.2 million students go to school. They are studying peacefully. There are a few disturbances as well. But, we are carrying out educational activities as normal as ever. In a country education promotion plays a crucial role. Without this, there will be no progress at all. According to surveys, our education standard is low.
It is sad that about half of or more than the population was the lower than the middle school education school level.
Therefore, if we cannot promote education, there is no way to modernize businesses that are based on education.
In Israel and other countries, agriculture, livestock breeding and technologies have progressed as they have intellectuals.
So, their economies develop and earn a lot of revenue. As they can enjoy benefits, they can strengthen their response systems and they could properly manage health and sports activities. Due to their IQ, which is higher than the developing countries. Frankly speaking, we admit that if we can develop enough antibodies, we will be able to acquire antibodies that will enable us to achieve higher IQ, which will contribute to education more. Therefore, the problem seems to be looking for the beginning of the egg. As there are weakness on the other side, students were not able to learn their lessons properly andည were not interested in their lessons because their parents asked them to help parents.
Therefore, they lacked behind their lessons and their parents asked to help them, it was found that children dropped out of school at the middle school education. Therefore, it is necessary to exert efforts in all sectors. The government cannot exert efforts in the education sector alone if it aims to improve the education sector.
It is necessary to improve the socioeconomic life of the people.
Otherwise, we will be in a circle of the same things. Therefore, the promotion of education is concerned not only with the Ministry of Education but also with all other sectors. It is concerned with all.
COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment As for the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, we have controlled the outbreak of COVID-19 to some extent in our country. However, the infection rates are increasing in neighbouring and regional countries. As it was found that returnees were infected with the disease, we are conducting test on the returnees. Although the government eased restrictions on COVID-19, the public should not be careless as the infection rates may increase.
The government has received about 80 million doses of the vaccines and about 72 million of them have been administered on the public. Although the majority of those who are above the age of 18 have been vaccinated, it is still necessary to vaccinate more people in terms of the population of the country.
Therefore, not only the Ministry of Education but also the relevant authorities are required to cooperate in the efforts. All ministries are urged to encourage the people to receive vaccination and the infection rate can be reduced by vaccination.
The Ministry of Health is responsible to track the infection and conduct research.
Education and health can contribute a lot to the development of the county. In conclusion, the Senior General said he would continue to carry out the development tasks of the country in according with the motto “Moving Forward.”
Afterwards, union minister reported on tasks of respective sector and the Senior General fulfilled the requirement.