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Therefore, after learning good lessons from the previous parliamentary session, all the members of the parliament need to improve their performances in the next session.

Q:  It is obvious that there was not enough time for the members of the parliament to prepare questions and proposals thoroughly nor do proper research on the issues. To effectively examine the accountability and transparency of the new government to the parliament in the next session, what do you think needs to be prepared?

A:  As we are from the side of legislature and the ministers from the side of the administration, there are several mechanisms to carry out “checks and balances,” which are: Between the Union Parliament and the administration; between the regional parliaments and administrations; between the legislature and judiciary; and between the union and regional parliaments. To perform these checks and balances effectively, the political parties need to build their institutions strongly. The MPs also need to build their capacity to articulately discuss issues in parliament with the exact facts and figures. Therefore, the political parties need to build their own databanks to support their MPs sitting in parliament. The MPs also need to efficiently utilize the Internet and build their arguments strongly in the parliamentary discussions.

I guess the parliamentary sessions will resume in the next six months. Within that timeframe, it is quite difficult to build up all these necessary skills. Therefore, the people need to help us by sharing the information that they have. If they can guide the MPs through the information sector by sector, the MPs will be able to carry the public voices into the Parliament and discuss these issues. Public support is really important for us.

Q:  What is the role of the MPs when the Parliament is not in session in Burma?

A:  Although the Parliament is not in session, there will be activities of the parliamentary committees which will continue during the recess period. Some people came to us with complaints as if we were the officials from the administrative side. I would like to make it clear that we are not the administrative officials, but as MPs we can provide a check and balance from at least from two positions. First, we can contact and cooperate with the regional parliaments and administrations to tackle the issues in our constituencies. To be able to do it, there should exist a communication channel to get access to the heads of the region and state administrations.
The second position is to deal with policy issues at the national level. To be able to collect data and prepare for questions and proposals, can the MPs get access to officially visit the project sites carried out by the government administration? I think each house of Parliament [the Upper and Lower Houses] needs to clearly define the scope and right of the MPs to be able to do their work.

Q:  Do you think that politics outside the parliamentary framework should exist, and if so, what kind of relationship should there be between those who are inside and outside the framework?

A:  Politics outside the Parliament must exist. As I mentioned above, the parliamentary politics at the stage of testing the ground and there are few [democratic] politicians inside the parliament. Due to that, there will be two kinds of political groups for the time being. President U Thein Sein has shown his willingness to cooperate not only with the political parties sitting in the parliament but also with other political groups outside the framework. I think we need to change the situation gradually.
In 2015 and 2020, the parliamentary politics gradually need to be built. At that time, if we want to amend the Constitution, we need to strive for gaining the strength to change the law. It is a long-term plan. That's why the MPs need to listen to the advice of the politicians who are outside the Parliament with due respect and bring their advice to the Parliament. On the other hand, I think the political groups outside the parliament should try to participate in Parliament, which can give them an official space.

Q: What do you think the new government should do in its “honeymoon period?” When the new government took office, there were demands that the President exercise his constitutional right to announce a general amnesty to release all the political prisoners. In addition, there were calls for the new government to immediately cease the ongoing military offensives against the ethnic armed groups and restore the cease-fire agreements.

A: Generally, the honeymoon period is defined as the first 100 days. The new government took office in April, the month which had the longest holiday period in Burma.