During the Pyithu Hluttaw session yesterday, Justice U Myint Aung of the Supreme Court and Deputy Minister U Hla Kyaw of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation answered questions raised by the MPs.
Advertising legal services against ethics
U Khin Zaw of Kawthoung constituency asked if the rule on not advertising legal services will be reviewed.
Justice U Myint Aung replied that paragraph (41) of the Legal Ethics Guidebook released by the Bar Council stated that advertising legal services with business cards and pre-signing blank documents is against a legal professional’s ethics (1968 Myanmar Ruling Court letter 208). He explained that unlike other professions, if legal professionals practise advertising, then the legal sector will become a contest to get the most clients and win the most cases, with a focus on acquiring large incomes, as opposed to fairness and rule of law. He added that this would also be against Section 25 of the constitution that states, “The State shall assist to promote the interests of the intellectuals and intelligentsia.”
Stamp duty payment of farmlands
U Aung Theik of Seikpyu constituency asked if standards would be imposed for paying stamp duty for selling, leasing, exchanging and for contract registration of farmlands as it has not been addressed in the 2012 Farmland Rule and Regulation.
Deputy Minister U Hla Kyaw Rule that the 2012 Farmland Law and Section 24 to 28 of the Farmland Rule states that if the right to work on farmland is transferred by selling, exchang-ing or giving, the transferor and transferee shall sign the deed by paying stamp duty at the farmland management committee concerned, where the said a farmland is situated. He said it has been decided at a coordination meeting that stamp duty will be paid in accordance with the tax duty mother law, which leaves the decision on suitable tax duty payment to the farmland management committee concerned.
Using drones to map farmlands
U Tin Ko Oo of Bilin constituency asked if there is a plan to use aerial drones to map areas for farmland ownership (form 7), construct trade routes, and map
alluvial soil.
The deputy minister replied that using aerial drones would require high-resolution cameras, and computer hardware and software to process the data, as well as trained skilled operators for the process. Currently, digital kwin maps and modern machinery to map farmland and routes are being used; so there is no plan to use drones as of yet.
Motion to form Rakhine Independent Commission of Enquiry with local experts
Next, U Sai Kyaw Moe of Minepan constituency submitted a motion urging the union government to rethink the formation of the Independent Commission of Enquiry composed of experts from within Myanmar to investigate Rakhine State.
U Maung Myint of Minkin constituency seconded the motion, and the Hluttaw decided to put the motion up for further discussion.
Motion to support the Department of Cooperatives
Daw Wint War Tun of Shar Taw constituency submitted amotion urging the union government to review strategies and provide support for the Department of Cooperatives, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation.
The deputy minister replied that there are concrete plans and strategies for the short-term and long-term development of the Department of Cooperatives, which are all in line with the 12 points of economic policy under the ministry. The ministry has borrowed US$400 million from China’s EXIM bank for micro-financing farmers, who are members of the Department of Cooperatives. He added that they will analyse the past mistakes and review and amend current plans where necessary.
The Hluttaw decided to put up the motion for discussion.
Next, U Kyaw Soe Lin, secretary of the Bill Committee, submitted the bill to amend the Anti-Corruption Law for the fourth time, sent by the Amyotha Hluttaw with amendments.
The Speaker asked for approval from the Hluttaw for each section of the bill. The next session of the Pyithu Hluttaw will be held on 8 June.
Reference: GNLM
June 7, 2018