Esteemed national people in the Union,
I extend my greetings with making wishes for peace and prosperity of the country while the national people in the Union are serving for the country unitedly.
Our State Administration Council is making the utmost efforts for peace and stability of the country and the unity and socio-economic development of national people in performing our duties during the State of Emergency. Cooperation of national people is necessary for us in these works. The real strength of our nation lies within the country.
“Complete Unity Makes Success”, as the saying goes, we could successfully establish a well-developed Democratic Federal Union and a disciplined democratic system which all of us aspire to. Our national people need to have good health for works and learning education. Only then we could achieve our goals.
The Ministry of Health and Sports and the military medical corps are working hard in offering public healthcare services. We are taking great care in building the country’s strength and the health of people amid COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all the health workers at the front-line against the pandemic, volunteers and high-ranking officials above the directors of respective departments have received the first round of vaccination. The vaccination programme has reached the elderly persons of 68-years old and above in the townships included in the stay-at-home order. The programme will also be extended. Two million doses of Covishield injection against COVID-19 as a second batch will arrive in Myanmar from India today. We have adopted new plans for the vaccination programme to cover all the people. In doing so, the import of new and effective vaccine approved by the FDA will be permitted first. The private sector will be allowed to import these vaccines — implications of Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, SARS-COV2 from China and COVAXIN from India. These brands of vaccine are being used in other countries. The vaccine will be used in healthcare services. We will also allow private sector for importing the vaccine in line with the rules and regulations in making the programme reach all the people, and the well-wishers take part in this programme. Only then, people will get vaccinated urgently without requiring to wait the turn and then the vaccination programme will become more effective.
It is advised to all the national people that the pandemic is still occurring in the world. It is essential to follow the COVID-19 containment rules before getting vaccinated. People are found assembling in public areas at present. It is urged to all to avoid it as such assembly could increase the rate of COVID-19 infection. It is also required to accelerate the momentum of medical tests to be able to contain COVID-19. We are working to do so. Such work plans are needed for the recovery of businesses delayed by the pandemic. People are requested for their coordination, adherence to the rules and contribution to the programme. I also urged all the health workers to return to their public healthcare services at the hospitals.
Regarding the civil service personnel, the 2008 State Constitution has defined that ‘The Union shall enact necessary laws for Civil Services personnel to have security and sufficiency of food, clothing and shelter, to get maternity benefits for married women in service, and to ease livelihood for the welfare of retired Service personnel’. There have been some laws for civil service personnel. There might be some weaknesses in these laws. We will review the laws for their benefits. The civil service personnel have got a direct chance to serve the country and people. They are honourable persons for their public services through their responsibility and accountability for operating the sectors of legislation, administration and judiciary. We need to maintain this dignity.
Due to unscrupulous persons’ incitement, some civil service personnel have failed to perform their duties at present. The former is also making various forms of disturbances to the civil service personnel who are working for the country and people amid many difficulties. Some announcements were issued yesterday. Effective actions will be taken. Required assistance will be given to the civil service personnel who are serving the public to be able to perform their duties without any worries. I am grateful to them for their loyalty to the country and people. Those who are away from their duties are requested to return to their duties immediately for the interests of the country and people without focusing on the emotion.
Another issue is concerned with the elections. As per Section 399 of the State Constitution, the Union Election Commission include holding Hluttaw elections, supervising Hluttaw elections; forming different levels of sub-commissions and supervising and compiling lists of voters and amending. And that the UEC has responsibilities to compile and amend voter lists. The voter lists were found incorrect. More errors were found in the voter lists than the figures compiled by the Tatmadaw in some places. After exercising the multiparty democracy system, our country has organized three general elections and two by-elections. The successive commissions were led by U Thein Soe, U Tin Aye and U Hla Thein. Every UEC should be independent. It has been proved in 2010 and 2015 general elections. Their commissions could settle disputes before, during and after the elections.
Every UEC has to ensure a “free and fair” election, which can result in a “good governance and clean government”. If any UEC failed to perform these tasks, establishing a genuine and well-disciplined multiparty democracy would not occur. The UEC has to take responsibility for their performance. According to Section 398 (a) of the State Constitution, the President shall constitute a Union Election Commission, and as per its Section 400, the President may impeach the Chairman or the members of the Union Election Commission. These sections are deemed to make reciprocal relation and counterbalance between the President and the UEC. These are the provisions in State Constitution we need to follow. At least, it is required to follow the oath included in the Form of Oaths or Affirmation, saying that “an elected representative of the Pyithu Hluttaw/ the Amyotha Hluttaw/ the Region or State Hluttaw, will uphold and abide by the Constitution of the Union”.
Anyhow, while we are performing our national duties during the State of Emergency, we will put in plenty of our efforts for socio-economic development of the people, unity and development. We will work for the establishment of a modern nation which is an objective of the Union. We will keep on working for the emergence of a Union based on a federal system, non-disintegration of the Union and strengthening national unity. With a clear and intense focus on the path of genuine and well-disciplined multiparty democracy, we will accomplish the Union of Myanmar’s objectives.
I also wish for our national brethren’s well-being in the Union and calls on working together for the interest of the Union.
Thank you all.
