PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division — The Irrawaddy Parliament has postponed its special meeting to Jan. 18 as the President’s Office has yet to nominate a new chief minister to the regional government.
The nomination letter had not arrived even as all the regional lawmakers were present at the assembly on Monday, so parliamentary speaker U Aung Kyaw Khaing rescheduled the meeting.
“I summoned the meeting on Monday because I thought the letter of nomination would have arrived by then. But, it didn’t and so I put off the meeting until Jan. 18,” U Aung Kyaw Khaing told The Irrawaddy.
According to sources close to the National League for Democracy (NLD) Irrawaddy regional chapter, U Aung Kyaw Khaing, Social Affairs Minister Dr Hla Myat Thway and Wakema Township lawmaker Daw Myint Myint San are among those being considered to succeed Mahn Johnny, who stepped down on health grounds on Jan. 9.
“People are concerned that the nominee has been changed as the parliamentary meeting was scheduled for today. It is good for the government to take time to make a decision, and we’d prefer someone who is shrewd and not corrupt for the sake of the region,” said Daw Myintmo Tint, one of the leaders of the local community-based organization Pandonma Social Development Association.
The special meeting will be held at 10 am on Jan. 18. The lawmakers have been asked to wait in Pathein, the regional capital, to attend the meeting.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
