Burma’s parliamentary speaker has taken to the internet to stress that his recent proposal to pass a new law protecting the 2008 Constitution is not an attempt to obstruct attempts at charter amendment.
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On Facebook on Wednesday, Shwe Mann listed three reasons why such a law is necessary, namely: to prevent attempts destroy to the multi-party democratic system and the market economy system; to prevent attempts to undermine the development of opposition parties; and to prevent attempts to win political ground by way of arms.
On 14 May, the speaker had suggested an updated law is needed to protect the Constitution in replacement of the 1959 Constitution Protection Act, responding to MP Thein Nyunt’s proposal to abolish the dated law.
His proposal was met with criticism from opposition MPs who said the move would prevent constitutional amendment, essential to remove the Burmese military’s parliamentary veto and make Aung San Suu Kyi eligible for presidency.
