Arakan State parliament voted on the proposal of the President to set up a ministry of immigration and human resources in the regional cabinet yesterday, military legislators and MPs from the NLD party seconded it.

However, the proposal was voted down in the parliament dominated by the MPs of ANP. Since the proposal gained 13 votes in favor and 22 against, the State parliament announced the proposal was not approved.

One out of five NLD legislators voted against the proposal while nine military MPs and four NLD legislators voted in favor of the proposal.

Lt-Col Min Thu, a military MP, said that authorities can do their job effectively if the new ministry is formed.

“According to my experience, jobs can be done effectively if you share the workload with others instead of doing things autonomously. In the military, power and responsibility is granted to lower ranks in order to accomplish a mission.  There will be ineffectiveness dealing with situations if one individual is controlling the cabinet. If duties are shared with others, there will be more effectiveness completing a given task,” he said.

U Zaw Zaw Myint, USDP lawmaker for Buthidaung Township, said that he objected to the proposal because he was concerned about the sovereignty of the country since there are sensitive Muslim issues in northern Arakan State.

“I think legislators objected the proposal to form the ministry of immigration and human resources because they were concerned about the sustainability of the sovereignty of the country and race and religion,” he said.

President U Win Myint on 19 June sent the proposal to regional parliaments to obtain approval and establish the ministry of immigration and human resources in all regions and states.