MPs hail book on constitutional reforms by Chin author

07 November 2013: A new book by Salai Mang presenting seven main points that need to be amended in Burma’s 2008 Constitution has received praises from MPs attending the eighth Regular Session of the First Union Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw.

With the permission of Thura Shwe Mann, Speaker of the Lower House of the Burmese parliament, the 57-page book entitled Seven Points Ethnic Nationalities Want to Amend in the Constitution was distributed among 644 MPs last Tuesday.

In discussion with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the event, Salai Mang said that he had received compliments from her and that she had mentioned she would definitely read the whole book.

When asked about the reason behind the book, the Chin author said that Burma’s political crisis was a constitutional problem entrenched in the issues relating to self-determination, federalism and democracy that the ethnic nationalities had demanded for decades.

Published in Burmese, the book elaborates on issues concerning unequal and unbalanced political powers that MPs from States and Regions are granted in accordance with the current constitution.

It also says that MPs must be allowed to enact policies and to contest for the country’s presidency, and that military representatives in State and Regional parliaments must be removed from their present ‘impractical’ positions.

Launched in September 2013, it was ranked third on the list of Burma’s top ten selling books by government-owned MRTV-4 (Myanmar Radio and Television 4) late last month.

Salai Mang, 26, has also authored a book entitled Doctrine of the Union of Burma: Final Results of Burma’s Politics, has edited the Chin Magazine published in 2008 by the Chin Literature and Culture Committee (CLCC), and is Chief Executive Officer of the Chin World Media.

He is the second son of the late Salai Ram Ling Hmung, Chairman of the Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD).#