Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets union level officials and officials of union ministries
NAY PYI TAW August 8
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met union level officials and officials of union ministries in Ngu Shwewa Hall at his office here this morning.
Present were SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members, union level officials, union ministers, the chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), chief ministers from regions and states, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, deputy ministers, chairmen of self-administered zones and division, heads of departments of ministries.
The Senior General said the meeting is held to discuss future tasks and tasks that should be done during the period extended under the national situation.
Newly adopted roadmap and objectives will be announced, and it is the government’s duty to implement them. In fact, every government must work for the betterment of the country.
The government’s two political goals are: strengthening of genuine disciplined democracy and building of a Union based on democracy and federalism; and the two national goals are: national prosperity and food sufficiency. National prosperity means a peaceful and secure ambiance for the public to earn their living and pursue education.
Every person wishes to develop his lives, realize his vision and enjoy a secure live.
Hence, peace and stability must to be installed. Food security is the biggest challenge as food is everyone’s requirement.
Myanmar is also striving to ensure an abundance supply for food security.
A government must improve transport facilities in the entire country and install nation-wide communication networks in prioritizing transport and communication.
Increase in the population of educated persons is the foundation of national development.
The government must conduct inclusive education promotion programs as human resources with intellectual and technological knowledge is essential.
Good health is also a requisite as no one can learn or work without it. A balanced living style and comprehensive public healthcare is also required for health and longevity of the people of the country where life expectancy is low.
A nation should generation enough electricity for its needs.
Till now, the country cannot fulfill even 50 percent of its electricity demand. Plans that were launched about ten years also had to be stopped due to various reasons. Those plans, if implemented then, could supply a large volume of electricity for the country by now. As electricity need is a challenge for the government, it is currently implementing solar-power, wind power and rice-husk fired power projects. Adequate electricity supply will ensure socioeconomic progress. Food sufficiency, better transport, education promotion, health and longevity and adequate power supply are the top priorities of the government.
As regard the newly adopted nine objectives, he said “strengthening of genuine and disciplined democracy and building of a Union based on democracy and federalism” is the first point of the adopted nine objectives.
The installation of multi-party democracy is an important task for the government. But, it must have the required rules. The government or the president or the prime minister is the head in exercising the system. The expression ‘discipline-flourishing” is included in the Constitution to ensure discipline in exercising democracy. Undisciplined 2020 multi-party general election leaves behind a black mark in the nation’s history. It is a lesson for all. Hence, the government must strive to install of a robust and genuine democracy in accord with the specific rules.
The Senior General said he has severally explained matters related to building the Union based on democratic and federal systems. Democracy means democratic administration and federalism is defined as the Union mandated by federal authority.
Regions and states are collectively resided by all ethnic people. Hence, as all ethnics reside in respective regions, exercising federalism cannot be based on races but on regions.
The Constitution has given the federal rights. The Constitution was enacted through national referendum, so the Tatmadaw agreed to amend some points of the Constitution in accord with the wish of the majority people. But, such amendments should not harm Our Three Main National Causes and must be in conformity with the democratic administration and federal authority.
Ethnic armed conflicts are main spikes for building the Union based on democratic and federal systems. It is necessary to see long term plans and consider existing political situation related to the ethnic rights. The Senior General stressed the need to build the sound foundations for all measures. Hence, it is necessary to arrange appropriate measures for ethnic armed organizations. It is because they signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Despite no comprehensiveness, the NCA was signed as a pledge for granting the demands of ethnics. As the NCA was signed in the presence of international witnesses, it should not turn a blind eye to the agreement. The government is emphasizing the NCA measures and pledges to restore the endurable and perpetual peace in line with the agreements of NCA. As such, the second point of the political objectives was adopted to prioritize the achievement of enduring peace for the entire nation in line with the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
The third point of the political objectives was adopted to emphasize full restoration of peace and stability, and rule of law in the entire Union for the people to enjoy safety of socio-economic life of the people. The point of rule of law comprises different levels of administration bodies and the judicial estate controlling the administration measures.
Legal affairs are being implemented by legal organizations.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Myanmar Police Force, General Administration Department and judicial estate are of great importance in restoring peace and tranquility of the regions and rule of law.
Those of law enforcement must have high capacity. During the term of the government, some weaknesses can be seen for rule of law measures. As weakness in administration can affect a government, it is necessary to improve necessary measures.
The first point of the economic objectives was adopted to enhance development based on agriculture and livestock inclusive of entire ethnic people to ensure prosperity and food security of the nation using modern production techniques and to strengthen all-round development in other sectors of the economy. The food security is essential for the State.
Agriculture and livestock tasks are all-inclusive of the people.
Some 70 percent of the country population is rural people, most of who are engaged in agriculture and livestock farms. In so doing, these farms must be systematic and all cultivable lands must be efficiently utilized.
Myanmar possesses land resources for successful carrying out the agricultural tasks and a lot of water sources for agricultural water. As such, farmers should not satisfy with growing single crops on the farmlands and should strive for cultivation of double crops. The government on its part has to manage effective utilization of agricultural lands. As cultivable lands are being used in other ways, it harms agricultural tasks of the State. It is necessary to correctly scrutinize the land utilizations under the law.
With regard to livestock breeding sector, Myanmar needs to produce meat, fish and eggs to meet the daily demand. Efforts must be made for increased production of agriculture and livestock farms in addition to conducting research. Agriculture and livestock tasks must be implemented without fail to achieve success. As the volume of marine products from the natural water areas is larger than the farming process, it is necessary to further promote the breeding and production.
Moreover, agriculture and livestock tasks must be undertaken with modern techniques so as to promote other manufacturing processes.
The second economic objective is “Encourage Micro-, Small -and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) for promotion of the export sector, relying on the developed economic drive.”
Thus, MSMEs based on agriculture and livestock must be encouraged. Efforts must be made to produce basic food and consumer goods until the domestic demand is met. The country has to import textile, milk and dairy products and rubber based raw materials every year. If value-added goods can be produced rather than exporting raw materials, import volume can be reduced.
And surpluses can be exported.
This can be done by successfully doing businesses of cattle farming and cotton and rubber cultivation. Import reduction will also save foreign exchange spending and pave the way for encouraging domestic manufacturing and creating local jobs.
The third economic objective is “To encourage cultivation of oil crops to meet the target production in order to have local oil sufficiency and to strive for ensuring local sufficiency and export of the surplus oil crops abroad.” Therefore, encouragement must be given to grow oil crops, ensure domestic demands and export surpluses.
Growing oil crops such as groundnut, sesame and sunflower until they meet the production targets will ensure domestic sufficiency and surpluses. Efforts must be exerted to grow target acreages of oil crops and ensure high yields in the respective regions and states.
The first social objective is “To implement the multieducation system inclusive of all so as to develop intellectual and intelligence of the entire people and turn out a number of technicians contributing to the manufacturing sector.” A lot of educated people are required for the development of a country. So, basic education schools are teaching agricultural, livestock breeding and technical subjects as well as their arts and science subjects to turn out intellectuals and intelligentsia. Plans are being made to pursue basic education and then higher education through diploma courses. Thus, the objective is to move towards a multieducation system.
The second social objective is “To enhance health and sports sectors inclusive of all the people to enhance longevity and health of the entire nation.”
Everyone wishes to live long and healthily. Only if one is in good health, one will be able to pursue education, do jobs and follow social matters. This is why the government needs to promote the health sector.
There must be sports activities and movements for all from children to elders for their health and fitness. Sport is a strength of the country and it brings the State dignity. Therefore, modern sports fields and stadiums were built in the regions and states. There will be more sports facilities in other areas from districts to townships depending on the budget situation. As Myanmar’s sports sector still sees requirements in various aspects, greater efforts are necessary for the sport standard improvement. First, needs for sports facilities and coaches are being fulfilled.
The third social objective is “Promote youth sector for turning out the well-versed youths in all aspects as a primary force in development undertakings of the country.” It is necessary to turn out physically and mentally capable young people. They must be trained to cultivate good habits and improve their knowledge.
According to the interim census of 2019, the country has a few educated people and its education sector is low. Everyone needs skills and knowledge if the country is to move forward with democracy. The government needs to create a bright future for the youth and improve the education sector. Measures must be taken to ensure that every school-age child completes at least KG+9. It is also necessary to meet education staff requirements and ensure that they get promoted and happy in their workplaces. Only then, will the education sector improve. Officials concerned need to act in line with the procedures, rules and disciplines.
Teachers are mainly responsible for making the young people physically and mentally strong.
Under their teachings, the young people on whom the State can rely can be nurtured.
The government has tremendous duties to bring national development. The officials from various union ministries in attendance need to accomplish their tasks in their respective departments in accord with the prescribed procedures and rules till success is met. They themselves need to be disciplined and have the capability to command their respective organizations for their systematicity.
Government staff have to serve the people. So, they need to become those capable of serving the public interest.
Through united efforts, we have overcome various difficulties and hardships. However, there are still economic and political sanctions against the country. Successful domestic manufacturing will overcome any difficulties or hardships.
This is why the above-mentioned political, economic and social objectives must be successfully implemented. Civil servants are urged to assume their responsibilities dutifully for the sake of the country rather than for individuals.