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Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies
shall, in accord with the law, supervise and coordinate functions of
civil service organizations discharging duties in their territory

YANGON, 11 March — The following is the clarification made by Chairman of the National Convention Convening Work Committee Chief Justice U Aung Toe on the executive power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies included in the executive sector for laying down detailed basic principles for the sharing of executive and judicial powers to be included in the State Constitution, at Pyidaungsu Hall of Nyaunghnapin Camp in Hmawby Township, on 8 March.

I have already explained the Work Committee’s study on the matters in connection with executive power and the related powers and functions of the Union Government and the executive power of the region or state governments and the related authority and duties for the delegates to discuss and suggest whether or not to lay down detailed basic principles concerning the matters.

I will now present the study on the allocation and delegation of the executive power to the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies and the related authority and duties.

According to the already-laid-down detailed basic principles, the self-administered division and the self-administered zones have been designated as follows:

(a) Naga Self-Administered Zone (Sagaing Division);

(b) Danu Self-Administered Zone (Shan State);

(c) Pa-O Self-Administered Zone (Shan State);

(d) Palaung Self-Administered Zone (Shan State);

(e) Kokang Self-Administered Zone (Shan State);

(f) Wa Self-Administered Division (Shan State);

The detailed basic principles — as the self-administered division and the self-administered zones are self-administered areas they are of equal status — the self-administered division leading body is formed in the self-administered division, and the self-administered zone leading bodies are formed in the self-administered zones — have already been laid down.

As regards the delegation of legislative power to the self-administered areas, a detailed basic principle — legislative power prescribed by the Constitution is distributed to self-administered areas — has been laid down, and in connection with the distribution of executive power, a detailed basic principle — executive power prescribed by the Constitution is distributed to self-administered areas — has been laid down. Thus, the self-administered division leading body and the self-administered zone leading bodies will have the right to exercise the legislative power and the self-administrative power prescribed by the Constitution.

In the sector of distribution of the State legislative power, the National Convention has already laid down the sector-wise detailed basic principles concerning the matters within the legislative power of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the matters within the legislative authority of regions and states to be stipulated in the Constitution.

Self-administered division or self-administered zone leading bodies are vested with the legislative power within their own territories for the following matters:

(a) Town and village plan,

(b) Construction, repair and maintenance of roads and bridges,

(c) Public health,

(d) Development affairs,

(e) Fire prevention,

(f) Pasture,

(g) Forest protection and conservation,

(h) Environmental conservation in accord with the law enacted by the Pyidaungsu,

(i) Water and electricity supply in towns and villages, and

(j) Town and village markets.

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies will have to exercise the above-mentioned legislative power as necessary. But the bodies will have to be aware of the fact that the laws enacted by the self-administered division or self-administered zone leading bodies should not be contrary to the provision of the Constitution, the laws enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the laws enacted by the respective regions and states. The laws enacted by the self-administered division or self-administered zone leading bodies will be in force as along as they are not in contrast with the laws enacted by the Constitution, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the respective regions or states.

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies are the institutions that will have to play a leading role in carrying out the administrative affairs of their own division or zones. In doing so, they will have to abide by the Constitution, the Union laws and the laws of the respective regions and states. The bodies will have to ensure that the executive power exercised by them should not go beyond the matters permitted by the laws.

Thus, delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not the following detailed basic principles should be laid down:

Subject to provisions of the Constitution, the self-administrative power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies extends to the following matters:

(a) with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies has power to make laws;

(b) with respect to which the division and self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw; and

(c) with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the respective region or state hluttaws.

As the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies can simultaneously exercise both the legislative power and the self-administrative power prescribed by the Constitution, they will have to harmoniously exercise the said powers in view of all-round development of their self-administered division or self-administered zones.

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies have the duty to help the Union government in its drive to ensure stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity and the rule of law in the entire nation. Only then will they be able to successfully and effectively implement their all-round development tasks.

Thus, the delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not to lay down the following basic principle:

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading body has the duty to help the Union Government in its drive to ensure stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity and the rule of law.

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies have to draw the annual budgets to implement projects and plans laid down and approved by them. The drawing of the said budgets involves the task of estimating the tax revenues and also the income from development taxes permitted by the law.

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies will have to draw the long-, short-term and annual plans, subject to the policies of the Pyidaungsu Government. In drawing the plans, priority is to be given to all-round development plans and tasks covering administration, economy, health, development affairs, transport and communications, etc in the area. The bodies will have to coordinate with the respective region or state governments occasionally concerning the plans.

The bodies are to also draw the estimated expenditure for their targeted work projects and plans. Afterwards the bodies have to draw the bill on the budget which includes capital income and expenditure and current income and expenditure according to financial rules. After drawing the accounts the bodies will have to hold a preliminary coordination meeting with the respective region or state governments. The coordination includes the amounts of additional funds, loans and other financial aids.

The region or state governments will have to present the bill on annual budgets to the Financial Commission together with the bill on annual budgets of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies. The region and state governments have to present the bill on their budgets to the hluttaw of the respective regions and states in accord with the budget law of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. The bill includes the estimated funds for the leading bodies of the self-administered division or zones within their territory.

The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies have the right to use the allotted funds, included in the budget law of the respective region or state governments, according to the financial procedures.

If a region or state hluttaw cannot enact the budget law before the end of fiscal year for certain reasons, the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies may use the fund of the current expenditure permitted within the last-enacted budget law of the hluttaw of the respective regions or states. Only then will the administrative machinery be able to run normally with momentum in a self-administered area.

Here, the delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not the following detailed basic principles should be laid down:

The self-administered division or the self-administered zone leading bodies shall

(a) subject to the policies of the Union Government, draw work programmes for development of their territory and shall coordinate the matter with the region government or state government concerned;

(b) draw annual budgets and shall coordinate with the region or state government concerned in accord with the provisions of the Constitution for approval;

(c) have the right to use the allotted budget funds included in the budget law of the region or state concerned;

(d) use the fund of the current expenditure permitted within the last-enacted budget law of the hluttaw of the region or state concerned if they cannot obtain the budget allotment in time due to region or state hluttaw’s failure to enact the budget law in time.

There are civil staff assigned and paid by the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies to help run their machinery covering various sectors. The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies are required to supervise, inspect, guide, adjust, and manage the work of civil service personnel. Now, I will present the Work Committee’s study on the matter.

The duties and rights of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies originate in the provisions of the Constitution. The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies will have duties and rights in accord with the laws enacted after the emergence of the Constitution and those enacted by the region or state hluttaws. The leading bodies may continue to observe and exercise the duties and rights entrusted to them in accord with the existing laws when the Constitution is ratified.

The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies are to supervise, supervise and coordinate the functions of civil service personnel in the areas. In this connection, necessary laws should be enacted for ensuring work facilitation. Only then will the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies be able to carry out their duties properly in the interest of the Union.

Thus, the delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether the following detailed basic principle should be laid down:

Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies shall, in accord with the law, supervise and coordinate the functions of civil service organizations discharging duties in their territory.

I have already presented that the following detailed basic principles should be laid down:

“Subject to provisions of the Constitution, the self-administrative power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies extends to the following matters:

— with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies has power to make laws;

— with respect to which the self-administered division or self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw; and

— with respect to which the self-administered division or self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the respective region or state hluttaws.”

In addition to the rights and duties vested in them by the laws enacted by themselves, the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies are to exercise the rights and duties entrusted to them under the provisions of the Constitution, the laws that are still in force after the ratification of the constitution, the laws enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, and the hluttaws of the respective regions and states. To have greater success and effectiveness in exercising the rights and duties the chairman and the members of the leading bodies will have to share the responsibilities among themselves. In doing so, the chairman and members of the leading bodies will have collective as well as individual responsibility.

I have already explained the duties of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies. The bodies should have the right to duly inform the Union Government and the region or state government concerned about the prevailing situation of their territories, and the required additional funds and assistance on paper. Only then will the Union Government and the region or state government concerned be able to know the situation of the bodies and will provide necessary additional funds and assistance.

Thus, the delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not the following detailed basic principle should be laid down:

The self-administered division or self-administered zone leading body shall submit reports stating the general situation of the territory to the Union Government and the region or state government concerned.

The Union Government, the region or state governments, and the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies will have to timely implement their tasks to benefit the State and the people more. The Union Government from time to time will assign duties to the region and state governments in the interest of the State and the people, and the region and state governments will assign appropriate duties occasionally to the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies.

The self-administered division or self-administered zone leading bodies are to carry out the tasks assigned to them by the Union Government and the region of state government concerned.

Thus, the delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not the following detailed basic principle should be laid down:

The self-administered division or self-administered zone leading bodies shall carry out the tasks assigned occasionally to them by the Union Government and region or state government concerned.

The following are a collection of points concerning the executive power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies and the rights and duties related to the power that should be laid down as detailed basic principles:

1. Subject to provisions of the Constitution, the self-administrative power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies extends to the following matters:

(a) with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies has power to make laws;

(b) with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw; and

(c) with respect to which the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading body has power to make laws in accord with any law enacted by the respective region or state hluttaws.

2. Self-administered division or self-administered zone leading body has the duty to help the Union Government in its drive to ensure stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity and the rule of law.

3. The self-administered division or the self-administered zone leading bodies shall

(a) subject to the policies of the Union Government, draw work programmes for development of their territory and shall coordinate the matter with the respective region government or state government;

(b) draw annual budgets and coordinate with the region or state government concerned in accord with the provisions of the Constitution for approval;

(c) have the right to use the allotted budget funds included in the budget law of the region or state concerned;

(d) use the fund of the current expenditure permitted within the last-enacted budget law of the hluttaw of the region or state concerned if they cannot obtain the budget allotment in time due to region or state hluttaw’s failure to enact the budget law in time.

4. Self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies shall, in accord with the law, supervise and coordinate the functions of civil service organizations discharging duties in their territory.

5. The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies shall submit reports stating the general situation of the territory to the Union Government and the region or state government concerned.

6. The self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies shall carry out the task assigned occasionally to them by the Union Government and the region or state government concerned.

The delegates will have to discuss and suggest whether or not the detailed basic principle concerning the executive power of the self-administered division and self-administered zone leading bodies and the rights and duties related to the power should be laid down.