Lawmakers in Burma’s upper house of parliament agreed on Thursday to discuss draft legislation that would create a powerful new role for Aung San Suu Kyi.
Parliamentarians will consider the creation of a “state advisor” position for the National League for Democracy party leader that would allow her to make good on her intention to rule “above the president”.
Ba Myo Thein, an upper house NLD MP said the proposed bill, known as the “State Advisor Bill”, was submitted by Aung Kyi Nyunt of the Joint-Bill Committee.
“It was proposed by the bill committee’s upper house representative U Aung Kyi Nyunt, and it designated Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to the role of state adviser,” Ba Myo Thein said.
A draft of the bill seen by DVB laid out the terms of the new post. The state advisor’s term would be as long as the president’s, and will only be created for the incumbent NLD government. The new position is aimed at bringing peace to Burma and building the federal union.
The upper house has set a Friday deadline for feedback on the proposed bill.
Thein Nyunt, an ex-lower house MP and the founder of the New National Democracy Party warned the NLD-led parliament to consider whether the move would be constitutional.
“I would like to warn the NLD that pushing such a major legislation — and, in effect, pushing their political agenda without consideration of the constitution — could deviate from the path of democratic reforms that we would like to see,” he said.
Burma’s 2008 Constitution may prove a legitimate stumbling block, as Article 58 confirms the role of the elected president must take precedence over all other persons in the republic.
Once discussed in the upper chamber of parliament, the bill will be passed to the lower house for consideration. If both houses fail to come to an agreement, the bill will be debated in the bicameral union parliament.