(Reuters) — Myanmar’s new members of parliament gathered on Wednesday (February 3) to choose a new upper house speaker.
Hundreds of lawmakers from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) were sworn in to Myanmar’s parliament on Monday (February 1), with enough seats to choose the country’s first democratically-elected government since the military took power in 1962.
Before Wednesday’s session began, some members of parliament spoke to the media and said they hoped to bring about change.
“I will try my best to propose bills of equal rights for different races, political views and ethnic issues, and also to stop the internal conflict in our country,” said Mon state parliament member, U Naing Thiha.
“There is a lot that needs to be done in the education, social, and economic sectors in our country and this is needed not only in my region but also the country as a whole. I think the government will do its best to take care of them. Then we will get the changes that we see in other countries, I think,” U Win Zaw, member of parliament from Kachin.
NLD member Man Win Khine Than from Karen state was chosen to be the new upper house speaker.
The party of Suu Kyi has instructed its lawmakers not to leave the capital, rank-and-file members said, fuelling speculation of a legal bid to sidestep a clause in the constitution barring the democracy champion from the presidency.
The directive has intensified speculation among lawmakers that the party could table legislation to suspend the provision that prevents Suu Kyi from becoming president despite her thumping win in a historic election in November.
Representatives of the outgoing, military-linked government said any attempt to circumvent the provision would be unlawful.
