Burma’s parliament on Thursday approved the Farmers Rights Protection and Raising Interest Bill, ignoring President Thein Sein’s recommended amendments.
Win Myint, lower house MP for Bassein [Pathein] township, said: “This bill provides for the formation of a farm products administration board, and regional governments are to assign appropriate and experienced individuals to it for approval.
“The bill will allow agricultural stipends for farmers, and keep product prices balanced,” he said. “The administration will be tasked with stepping in whenever necessary to enforce a control on prices.”
A day earlier, on 2 October, the lower house of parliament approved a bill amending the 1954 State Insignia (Restricting Ornaments) Act, with a clause that includes a punishment for using images of Gen Aung San in public protests. As per the amendment, individuals caught using such pictures or paraphernalia during a public demonstration can be sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine no more than 50,000 kyat (US$50) or both.
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