30 August 2024
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met members of Bago Region cabinet at the meeting hall of region government office this afternoon and discussed regional development.
Also present together with the Senior General were SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, SAC members General Maung Maung Aye and General Nyo Saw, union ministers, Bago Region Chief Minister U Myo Swe Win, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Yangon Command commander, the Southern Command commander, deputy ministers and officials.
Regional facts and farming activities presented
The chief minister reported on facts of the region, crop cultivation and multiple-cropping programs, rice production and local food sufficiency, cooking oil production, beans and pulses cultivation, annual cultivation of industrial crops, cotton cultivation, availability and conservation of water resources, distribution of agricultural tools, triple-cropping programs for boosting crop output, livestock breeding activities, education and health development undertakings, and future programs.
In response, the Senior General spoke of the need to increase summer paddy yield, improve the quality of rice till meeting the export quality through research, extend sunflower cultivation to help ensure local oil sufficiency. He also looked into the requirements.
Political developments of the country
As regards the political developments, the Senior General explained in detail political developments of the country throughout the past successive periods, vote rigging in 2020 multi-party general election and the then officials failure to solve the problem, declaration of the state of emergency due to the national situation then and Tatmadaw’s assumption of state duties, crisis triggered by COVID-19, terrorism that occurred due to instigation of political opportunists and restoration of the country in accord with the law, SAC’s adoption of policies and objectives and endeavours for national peace, stability and progress.
Successful holding of free and fair multi-party general election
He then said that as for the correctness of the voter list for the coming election, work programs including field voter list collection are being carried out systematically while taking vote rigging of the 2020 election as a lesson. Population and housing census will be conducted in the coming October to ensure correctness of the voter list. Collective participation is required to fully conduct the census in Bago, beginning from the start of the census on 1 October. It must be a systematic general election, and the state duties will be transferred to the government that emerged from the election. Efforts will be made to hold the election and convene the hluttaw with dignity. Efforts will be made to hold honorable hluttaw meetings and to ensure the presence of entitled representatives. Hluttaws will truly represent the respective regions only if they are formed with truly entitled persons. The meeting was held to disseminate knowledge about the nation’s political developments and the ongoing programs to hold a free and fair multi-party general election.
Economic development of the nation
When we began our duties concerning the country’s economic matters, Western countries imposed economic sanctions and reduced their support. Due to these economic sanctions, we were unable to utilize foreign currencies owned by our country. As a result, we primarily had to rely on the funds obtained from trade activities. Upon reviewing the previous foreign revenues, it was found that these mainly consisted of loans, grants, and foreign investments. We are currently repaying as many foreign loans as possible and focusing on boosting production to enhance trade activities. To export domestic products abroad, it is necessary to ensure high quality, as increasing exports will generate more foreign currency, leading to the country’s economic development.
For economic growth and to increase the production of goods, it is necessary to support production-based industries primarily focused on agriculture, which is the country’s main economic activity. Regarding agriculture, successful crop growth and good yields must be achieved through four methods involving seeds, soil, water, and techniques. If productivity increases, farmers’ incomes will also rise, subsequently benefiting the country’s revenue and contributing to economic growth.
The Bago Region should also work towards developing agriculture and livestock-based industries, as well as manufacturing industries, to foster growth. To expand industrial manufacturing, it is essential to cultivate rubber, coffee, sugarcane, cotton, and tea.
If the nation’s economy develops, the socio-economic conditions of the citizens will also improve, leading to greater prosperity. A stronger economy will allow us to work towards the country’s overall progress. Therefore, government employees must strive to contribute to national economic development within their respective sectors. In considering government employees, we are increasing allowances and providing appropriate support to military personnel, Myanmar police force members, and firefighters, who are performing their duties with dedication. Additionally, we have granted honorariums to teachers according to their qualifications.
Education and health
Regarding education, there is still a significant need for many teachers in our country, and the government is working to fill this gap as much as possible. Similarly, to enhance the education sector, efforts must be made to ensure that all school-age children can attend school, and the transition rates between grades should also be maintained at a good level. Stability, peace, and a sound economy are necessary for effective learning, and thus the region must strive to achieve these conditions. When schools temporarily closed due to natural disasters or other reasons are reopened, additional classes should be provided to ensure that students genuinely gain knowledge.
Teachers need to have a genuine desire to ensure that students truly acquire knowledge. Education is the future of the nation, and for a multi-party democratic path to be followed, it is essential to have a population rich in educated individuals. Only when there is an abundance of educated people will it be possible to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to drive economic development. To attain such knowledge and skills, we continue to support efforts to improve the quality of education. To provide citizens with a foundation in economic principles, universities offer courses in economics, and to help them understand democracy, universities also teach law. This is to enable them to perform their duties systematically and efficiently for the benefit of the country. The Bago Region, with its favorable geo-graphical conditions, would see even greater development if it could nurture a new generation of young people equipped with full knowledge and skills.
In connection with health, medical doctors are being appointed in hospitals in accordance with the policy of assigning doctors in every hospital. Health workers are being appointed constantly to provide healthcare services in the entire country. As the government is doing so, the people are required to enhance their health awareness and adopt healthy lifestyles. When a person’s health deteriorates, it has impacts not only on that individual but also on his surrounding, community and family. As one can work and study only when one is healthy, one is required to take care of one’s health. In connection with health, efforts must be made in respective regions and states to promote the sports sector. Body fitness and skills in sports techniques must be enhanced. Promotion of the sports sector must be carried out for the health and fitness of entire national people and vitalization of patriotism.
Rule of law, security
In connection with the rule of law, public security measures are being taken and to do so, local elders, the police and general administration staff are required to cooperate. Those who are actually willing to serve duties must be assigned duties. Administrators and the police have contacts with people on the ground. Therefore, they are required to have good relations with the people. The public security system must be implemented in cooperation with those who will serve the interests of regions by implementing different levels of information systems, the police and administrative bodies. By implementing different levels of information systems, the number of crimes will drop. If the rule of law and security measures can be taken effectively to the village level, it will contribute much to conducting population census and the election. Therefore, Bago Region officials are required to place emphasis on the rule of law and security. The government has taken time to broadly explain the situation of political transformation, economy, education, health, the rule of law and security in the country, objectives of the country to regional officials and they are urged to exert efforts as much as possible for development through regional efforts.
Then, the Senior General and party arrived at the Kanbawzathadi Palace in Bago and inspected the display of excavated teak logs from the former palace buildings, renovation tasks of the palace. Afterward, the Senior General gave instructions on the needs to carry out maintenance tasks in detail, cleanliness of the palace, to display ancient relics without damage, to keep roads in the palace in good condition, to dig conduits to prevent flooded areas and renovation tasks of the palace.
Then, the Senior General and party inspected the former moat of the Hanthawaddy palace near the gate and gave instructions on excavation and durability of the palace wall, the needs to reconstruct the walls in accordance with historical evidence in their original styles.
