NAYPYIDAW — The new National League for Democracy government is struggling to fix the government’s administrative branches, according to U Shwe Mann, chairman of Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission.
At a press conference, Shwe Mann told the media that peace efforts amid ongoing conflict in northern Burma, issues in Arakan State and overhauling Burma’s administrative machinery are proving more difficult than expected.
“The government is working hard. It is struggling with a very difficult situation,” he said.
As a consequence of the failure to allow for a proper market economy in successive eras, the new government faces difficulties in the economic sector. It has yet to achieve its goals as it has had to address political, economic and social reforms simultaneously, he added.
“The government has started economic reform but it hasn’t gotten very far,” he said.
U Shwe Mann’s said he was “determined to work for the well-being of the people and progress of the country in good faith as hard as I can from the position I hold.”
Concerning his attitude towards the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) after having been purged from it, he said he would treat it with loving kindness, goodwill and indifference.
However, he said that a political party that fails to work in the interests of the people will not last long.
“I am not thinking about party politics at the moment. However, we are ready to help and work with any government formed by any party if it works in the interests of the people and the country,” he said.
In addition, he said the commission that he leads gives advice to the Union Parliament and the Union Government “in the interests of the people and the country.” The commission is not a decision-making body but one that helps government officials make decisions.
However, one NLD spokesperson told the Irrawaddy that U Shwe Mann could give advice to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi directly.
“He can give advice to the state counselor through a direct channel created for him,” the spokesperson said.
It was reported that one of the reasons for the press conference was to refute social media accusations that the commission was working in the personal interest of one individual [Aung San Suu Kyi].
Translated from Burmese by Myint Win Thein.
