Myanmar signals entry into strategic reform

YANGON - Myanmar President U Thein Sein has signalled that the country is entering into a "second-step strategic reform", calling for more practicable ?national and regional development tasks in the reform process for national development.

As the first step of its reform, the new civilian government, since taking office on March 2011, "has been undertaking a series of reform covering national solidarity, prevalence of peace and stability, ensuring security of the people, enhancing the international cooperation and introduction of clean government an good governance ?with the aim of flourishing multi-party democratic system", U Thein Sein claimed.

At a work coordination meeting of the government cabinet in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday, U Thein Sein urged continuous implementation of ministry-wise and sector-wise tasks that need reform for enhancing the socio-economic status of the people as the "second-step strategic reform".

He underscored the need for seeking financial aid and support from the international community and direct investment from sources at home and abroad without relying solely on the state funds.

He stressed the need to form Myanmar Socio-Economy Advisory Council to enable social organizations and private sector to make coordination among them ?and submit suggestions to the government, underlining that associations, companies, public companies, cooperative societies and ?foundations are the main forces engaged in the development of socio-economic status of the people.

Responding to the offer of world nations to provide assistance to and to invest in Myanmar, he told the ministries and region or state governments to draw strategies and tactics, based on national and regional development projects, for ministry-wise and job-wise reform covering such sectors as agriculture, industry, education and ?health, and to implement them area-wise according to priority list.

Noting that demand for skilled works at different levels in banking, hotel and tourism industry and other investment sectors, U Thein Sein reiterated its invitation to Myanmar citizens including technicians, experts and businessmen, who are living abroad for various reasons, to come back home to serve the country, while promising necessary assistance to them in doing businesses in the nation if meeting with difficulties.

He emphasized the need to allow opening of universities, colleges and courses of international standard for generating more jobs, and to turn out skilled teachers through international aid.

He also stressed the need to allow private investment in opening hospitals and clinics to provide public healthcare.

In conducting reform, he called for polishing the morality and attitude of grass root-level administrators in their performances, avoiding corruption, bribery and unfriendly relations with the public.

He called for doing business and making investment in line with the laws, rules procedures without irregularities and mobilizing public cooperation without putting reliance on a handful of people alone, saying that "only then will the country be able to do good practices on a par with the international community". ?

The special coordination meeting of the government cabinet ?was also attended by Dr. Sai Mauk Kham, one of the two vice presidents, deputy speaker of the House of representatives U Nanta Kyaw Hswa, government ministers, region or state chief ministers, and heads of self-administered zones. ?

The government cabinet meeting, which is to go on Saturday, came more than a month after the end of April 1 by-elections and 10 days after the end of the third session of the parliament.