Minister apologises for calling MPs ‘uneducated’

By MIN LWIN

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Myint Hlaing observes Peasants Day during the opening of Nganmoeyeik Sluice Gate in Dagon Myothit Township on 2 March 2012. (Photo taken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation)

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Myint Hlaing issued an apology to the country’s parliamentarians after coming under fire for calling them uneducated and thoughtless during an interview last month.

During an interview with the Hot News journal in late March, the minister said the representatives in the parliament have failed to graduate from high school and were making thoughtless decisions.

“The minister apologised in the parliament today. He said he made the remark in goodwill but didn’t intend to insult the parliament or the representatives,” said People’s Parliamentary representative Ye Htun, from Hsipaw, Shan state.

After the Hot News journal published the interview, 323 representatives in the parliament issued a complaint with the house’s speaker demanding an apology from the minister.

Ye Htun said Myint Hlaing also explained that he told the Hot News journal to publish the interview to balance out the media’s critical focus on the government’s cabinet.

“[The minister] said journals only write bad news about the government – attacking from different angles – same with other media platforms in the country and in exile,” said Ye Htun. “So he told the Hot News to write about government ministers [hard work] with their [development projects].”

Myint Hlaing made the remarks last month after the parliament decided to slash his ministry’s budget citing failures to successfully implement river and dam projects.

This is the first time in Burma’s history a government minister has issued an apology to parliamentary representatives.

create here

Comments

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention Advocacy Director T. Kumar to Speak on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) Contact: Carolyn Lang, clang@aiusa.org, 202-675-8759 /EINPresswire.com/ (Washington, D.C.) -- Amnesty International Advocacy Director T. Kumar will address the Islamic Society of North America's 49th Annual Convention "One Nation Under God: Striving for the Common Good," in regards to the minority community of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday, September 1, at 11:30 am at the Washington DC Convention Center.

Iran Ready to Dispatch Medical Teams to Myanmar

TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of the Basij Organization of Iran's Medical Society Mohammad Rayeeszadeh voiced the society's readiness to dispatch medics, nurses and relief and rescue forces to help Myanmar's Muslims who are under the daily attacks of the majority in the Southeast Asian country. "The Basij (volunteer) organization of the Medical Society is prepared to dispatch emergency teams of physicians, nurses and rescue workers to Myanmar," Rayeeszadeh told FNA on Saturday.

2,600 tonnes of aid delivered to Myanmar Muslims

Khalifa Foundation has distributed urgent aid totalling 5,200 tonnes Gulf News March 04, 2013 Burma: The Khalifa Bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation (KZHF) has distributed another 2,600 tonnes of food aid to Myanmar Muslims, completing its third and last phase of the urgent aid totalling 5,200 tonnes of relief items among 850,000 beneficiaries. As per directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the assistance was purchased from the local markets of Myanmar in cooperation and coordination with the Embassy of Kuwait to be shipped by sea to “Rakhine (Arakan)” for distribution among the affectees there.

The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Search This Blog