An MoU between Myanmar Hluttaw and the Hanns Seidel Foundation was renewed at the online signing ceremony yesterday afternoon.

Deputy Speaker of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and Pyithu Hluttaw, Chairman of the Joint Coordination Committee on Hluttaw Development U Tun Tun Hein, members of the JCC, the Directors-General, Deputy Directors-General and Resident Representative of the HSF in Myanmar Mr Achim Munz participated in the signing ceremony.

At the ceremony, JCC Joint Secretary (2), Director-General for Amyotha Hluttaw Office U Lwin Oo and the HSF Resident Representative signed for extending the MoU.

MNA

(Translated by Ei Phyu Phyu Aung)

PHOTO: MNA

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The Insolvency Practitioners’ Regulatory Council held an online meeting in Nay Pyi Taw on 29 December. The Auditor-General of the Union U Maw Than, in his capacity as the council’s chairman, discussed collaboration in insolvency issues amid the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19.

The meeting focused on approving the Insolvency Practitioner Association, scrutinizing the recommendations of council members on insolvency practitioner certification and order for charges, the appointment of registration officers, the formation of committee and nomination of document examiners who will represent the council for insolvency practitioner registration on MyCo online system.

The meeting was taken part by the member of Bar Council on behalf of its chairman, the governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, the president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission, the patron, the chairman, and the members of the Association of Myanmar Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the deputy director-general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

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UNION Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi joined the launching ceremony of Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2019 Results organized by UNICEF and SEAMEO was held online yesterday morning.

The event was also attended by Education Ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Viet Nam respectively.

Union Minister Dr Myo Thein Gyi said the SEA-PLM is a regional programme to assess learning outcomes while Myanmar is the very first country that conducts data assessment at the schools among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

He also discussed two assessments conducted in Myanmar -- Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), the objective of SEA-PLM to contribute a more equitable and meaningful education for all children across the region, SDG target 4.1 and SDG target 4.7 of Sustainable Development Goal 4, KG+12 system in Myanmar, Myanmar National Performances on SEA-PLM Proficiency Scales results based on 5715 Myanmar students conducted by Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), National Education Policy and National Education Strategic Plan (2021-2030).

The Union Minister continued to say about better abilities of Myanmar students than other three member countries out of six showed in the results, the contribution of school textbook per student only in Myanmar and Malaysia among six countries and the performance of one-third of student that brings above the average in math skills while one-fourth of student in reading skill and one-fifth of the student in writing skill.

He also briefed the improvement of the positive opinion of students in their learning, the participation of parents in education, KG+12 system, poor knowledge and lower interest in the education of students before the school days.

Then, the officials discussed policies, practices regarding the SEA-PLM (2019) results and further work plans.

MNA

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)

Photo: MNA

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The Ministry of Health and Sports held a videoconference ahead of World Diabetes Day yesterday.

World Diabetes Day 2020 is soon to come on 14 November and the theme for this year is ‘The Nurse and Diabetes’.

At the meeting, Union Minister Dr Myint Htwe said there are more than 463 million cases of diabetes around the world with 4.2 million deaths as a result of the disease annually according to World Health Organization data.

A WHO STEPS Survey conducted in Myanmar in 2014 states 10.5% of individuals between the ages of 15 to 64 have diabetes, and 19.7% of them die due to diabetes-related incidents. Diabetes and other non-communicable diseases are increasingly caused by our lax attitude to maintaining health and changes in diet and lifestyle, and as a result, a WHO conference in 2006 decided to mark 14 November as World Diabetes Day.

Preventing diabetes goes a long way in protecting the health of all citizens and also reduces the national expenditure for treating diabetes cases which can be channelled towards advancing other medical ventures.

MoHS has distributed mobile tablets to health personnel across its departments which contain general information on diabetes and other health topics. And the ministry has to review and amend that content to ensure it is easily conveyed in an understandable manner, said Dr Myint Htwe.

The ministry has organized free diabetes clinics across its more than 10,000 health-related departments across the nation that are open to the public every Wednesday. Over 3.2 million people have come to get examined at the clinics between May 2017 and June this year. The clinics diagnosed about 400,000 of those examinees with diabetes and about 880,000 with hypertension.

About 94% of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Myanmar had an underlying disease, and of that number, 36% had diabetes, 30% had hypertension, and 19% had both. The Union Minister urged public health and sports officials to organize public exercise programmes complete with checklists.

The ministry collaborates with HelpAge International to provide training for its health personnel in improving their skills related to non-communicable diseases. A collaboration with Novo Nordisk produced the Myanmar PEN Application filled with information on non-communicable diseases installed in the mobile tablets.

Dr Ko Ko, manager of the diabetes prevention and containment programme, explained ongoing processes and future plans regarding diabetes and Dr Kyaw Kan Kaung, Deputy Director-General of the Preventing Non-communicable Diseases, explained the Myanmar PEN Application.

State and regional public health department heads and officials discussed their activities, requirements and suggestions to which the Union Minister responded with advice and instructions. The Union Minister also viewed a mini-exhibition on diabetes prevention.

The meeting also provided medical examinations for staff with diabetes from office no.4 of the minister and other departments.

MNA

(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)

PHOTO: MNA

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Union Election Commission held a press conference on its organizing 2020 General Election at its headquarters in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

UEC member U Myint Naing and U Than Htay, together with its Director-General U Khin Maung Oo, explained the successful holding of the elections and issuing election results.

Transparency of elections

Speaking to the media, U Myint Naing confirmed transparency of elections, the voting hours from 6 am to 4 pm for normal conditions on the Election Day, counting of votes after all the voters cast their ballots before 4 pm, voting of the remaining voters, who have already reached the polling stations before 4 pm, the announcement of vote results in front of the representatives of Hluttaw candidates and independent voting of the voters.

Vote counting

Vote counting was carried out in front of electoral candidates of Hluttaw candidates, 10 voters at least and election observers; some media organizations broadcast live the vote-counting; objections can be made during the counting and polling station officers made decisions on cancelled ballots with sound reasons.

The number of supporting votes for respective candidates are registered in Form-16 which was then signed by polling station officers and representatives of the candidates; the five copies of this document are also distributed to the relevant officials—1 to Township election sub-commission, 2 to ward/village sub-commission, 1 to polling station officer and one at the polling station. And that, the vote results can be checked transparently after counting the ballots.

Advance vote counting

The respective township sub-commissions counted the advance ballots which reached the polling station before 4 pm, and it was witnessed by the Hluttaw candidates, their representatives or their designated representatives; the counting and registration of advance votes in Form-18 are transparently done like in the regular ballots.

Clear results in Form-19

The number of ballots in Form-16 from polling stations is combined with those in Form-18 from township election sub-commissions for registration in Form-19 which clearly mentioned the elected candidates and their parties.

Process of Announcing Election Results

The Region and State Election Sub-commissions have to announce the election results in accordance with Section 46 of the relevant Hluttaw Election Law. The number of votes received by the respective candidates except for the winning candidates were recorded, and the total number of votes and calculate the percentages before the results have been announced. The process will take time; that’s why the results could not be announced immediately. After calculations, the respective Region and State Election Sub-commissions will announce the results. After their announcements, the Union Election Commission will announce nationwide results. We conducted a similar process in 2015, and the process lasted for 10 days. Region and State Election Sub-commissions are working hard to announce the results as soon as possible. The Union Election Commission is also taking great efforts to announce the nationwide results as soon as possible.

Welcoming the election results

At present, several lists of winning candidates have been announced. All results will be announced within a week. The election results became obvious within a short time because they are transparent. Major parties welcomed the election results and issued statements acknowledging the results. Some parties have issued statements to say that they had some inconveniences during the election process, but they accepted the results. A major party that was established not too long ago said it was pleased with the elections and it accepted the results. Some other parties and candidates also welcomed the results.

Five criteria

We are happy to see that there are many political parties that welcome the winning candidates. These are very good habits in the practice of the democractic system. Some political parties encountered difficulties of accepting the results, but it occurred in a democratic way. The Union Election Commission announced that the general elections must meet the five criteria–free, fair, trustable, transparent and the results must reflect reality–in accordance with the election laws. The commission did not have any bias against/in favour of any party in holding of the general elections successfully with the five criteria.

Free election

The media also observed that the election was free. The election we held was really free. During the advance voting process, advance ballot boxes were obtained in the presence of relevant candidates, election commission officials and polling station staff members and the ballot boxes were kept in a secure manner and guarded by special security police. It was also announced that relevant candidates, relevant political parties and observers could visit the places to observe them at any time. The election was held as fairly as possible in accordance with the laws. The media has seen that the general elections were held in a transparent manner. Some major parties also acknowledge that the general elections were acceptable to the people. It is found that candidates and political parties also can accept the reliability of the election.

When foreign diplomatic organizations observed the electoral processes, they said they trusted in the reliability of the processes.

Saying thanks

The UEC officials expressed thanks to all the voters, who eagerly cast their votes despite the COVID-19 pandemic and to the teachers working at the polling stations, polling station chiefs and polling station staff for their great efforts to hold the election successfully. They also expressed thanks to health workers, officials and staff members from the General Administration Department and volunteers who also work hard in the electoral processes. Special thanks to responsible officials and the media for their cooperation in making the elections reliable. Special thanks to the election security officers and special police officers who took care of the advance ballot boxes at polling stations. Special thanks also went to all the stakeholders who took great efforts together to make the election smooth. The Chairman of the Election Commission will hold a meeting with the media after announcing all the election results.

Questions by Media

Local and foreign media asked the UEC about the delay in announcing the election results, the matter related to candidates’ refusal to sign Form 19 by claiming that the election was not fair, how the Union Election Commission will respond to allegations that people under aged 18 voted in Mong Ton in Shan State, allegations that the number of people who actually voted was larger than the number of eligible voters in some constituencies, whether the advance voting processes were fair, allegations of electoral frauds, the delays in counting votes, the number of polling stations that have controversies, the demand for re-election, how the current election disputes will be resolved and other issues related to the general elections. The UEC member U Myint Naing answered the questions in detail.

Regarding the question about candidates’ refusal to sign Form 19, UEC member U Myint Naing said that according to the law, all the candidates have the responsibility to sign the Form 19, and the commission will take actions against them in accordance with the law. Allegations that the election was not fair are groundless allegations, and the commission has no plan to respond to them. Three major parties have issued statements welcoming the results. Such allegations can occur, and it is a nature of the practice of democracy.

Regarding the issue about the demand for re-election, the UEC officer said that the Union Election Commission has already held a free and fair election in accordance with the five criteria, and the election is acceptable to major parties and some parties.

Regarding the issue about allegations that the number of people who actually voted was larger than the number of eligible voters, the officer remarked as groundless allegations based on unreliable figures. He added that if the figures are reliable, it can be handled in accordance with the laws.

Myo Min Naing-MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin, Maung Maung Swe)

Photo: Ko Htein

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Myanmar government, Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed Exchange of Notes and Financing Agreements for two ODA loans yesterday.

The loan worth 27.779 billion Yen is for new Bago-Kyaikto road section of the East-West Economic Corridor which will be implemented by the Bridge Department of the Ministry of Construction and another loan worth 15 billion Yen is for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development project (phase 3) which will be implemented by Myanma Economic Bank of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry.

The Exchange of Notes was signed by Deputy Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Maung Maung Win and Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Ichiro Maruyama while the Financing Agreements was by Director-General Daw Si Si Pyone of Treasury Department, on behalf of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry and Sakakura Noriji, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar.

The Bago-Kyaikto road section of the East-West Economic Corridor project will facilitate the transportation of local residences and can improve the local and foreign trade volume.

As it is the shorted road section of Yangon-Bago-Myawady route, it can reduce the high traffic on East-West Economic Corridor and in Bago Region. It can also solve the delays in trade flows, and as it links with ASEAN countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam, it can develop the transportation via trade route of ASEAN to many places of Myanmar.

The SMEs development project (phase-3) can grant a loan with a low-interest rate for the recovery of MSMEs which were badly hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

MNA

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)

PHOTO: MNA

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Myanmar is importing COVID-19 medical devices from China for the November 8 General Election.

The devices, including KN95 masks, boots and PPE medical protective clothing sets, reached Yangon by five special flights and Mandalay by seven special flights yesterday, and will be distributed for voters, polling station staff and volunteers in the 2020 General Election.

These devices were bought from China. The stocks started to reach in Myanmar beginning from 21 October and are being distributed to the respective areas ahead of the elections.

MNA

PHOTO: MNA

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The Ministry of Health and Sports hosted a weekly virtual meeting to review prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 yesterday.

At the meeting, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe said that 90 per cent of the COVID-19 death toll in the country were elderly men and those suffered from chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart and cardiovascular diseases.

Therefore, the elderly persons are necessary to stay apart from other persons at home and to eat and sleep separately. It is also important to conduct awareness programmes for that in the townships, said the Union Minister.

He continued that the ministry was making efforts to ensure patients of losing sense of smell with underlying non-communicable diseases in quarantine sites get their current-consuming medicines, saying that it is important to put them intensive care after making distinctive marks on them.

Although Non-Communicable Diseases Unit distributed medicines for the quarantine centres, it is necessary to check whether the medicines arrive at the centre or not, and whether the patients take the medicines or not, he added.

He expressed thanks to the teams that are making daily discussions for systematic accommodation of the patients, and urged them to record information and facts about the processes in simple formats.

Central Epidemiology Unit was reviewing the facts daily. Treating COVID-19 patients at private hospitals was agreed, he said, calling for discussions about the said matters.

Deputy Director-General (Medical Services) Dr Thida Hla reported on the condition of COVID-19 patients and quarantine sites, and Director (Epidemiology) Dr Toe Thiri Aung reviewed laboratory testing, quarantining and public health and epidemiology.

Deputy Director-General (Epidemiology) Dr Tun Tin gave advices on containment of the disease and public health processes.

Director (Health Awareness) Dr Than Naing Soe discussed conducting of peer education programmes at the markets, and Deputy Director-General (Disease Control) Dr Thandar Lwin reported on the cooperation with correctional department.

Deputy Minister Dr Mya Lay Sein discussed participation of municipal department while conducing health awareness programmes, and Permanent Secretary Dr Thet Khaing Win reported on testing COVID-19 at private laboratories and treatment of COVID patients at hospitals.

Director-General of Union Minister’s Office Dr Thar Tun Kyaw detailed about prevention, control and treatment on COVID-19 in Yangon Region.

The meeting was concluded after the Union Minister delivered a speech saying that it is important to make preparation in cooperation with State/Region governments, relevant departments and social organizations and volunteers, and the ministry will provide necessary assistance.

MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

Photo: MNA

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Information Matrix and New York-based Sprinklr jointly organized a virtual demonstration workshop on modern mass communication technology yesterday afternoon via videoconferencing.

Union Minister for Information Dr Pe Myint, Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun, Permanent Secretary U Myo Myint Maung, departmental heads, and officials from Information Matrix and Sprinklr participated in the workshop.

In his opening remark, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint said that the Ministry of Information operates mainstream media such as print and broadcast channels for public communication.

He added that “new media” (new type of media) now achieves increasing popularity and the MoI staff members are making efforts to be familiar with the “new media” by learning, making discussions and sharing of knowledge.

During the workshop, Sprinklr’s officials Mr Nicolas Cael and Mr Valentin Dura explained practical application of modern mass communication technology.

Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun and some participants raised queries, and Information Matrix CEO U Thaung Su Nyein, Mr Nicolas Cael and Mr Valentin Dura answered the questions.

Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun delivered a closing speech at the demonstration workshop.

The virtual workshop was attended by 33 staff members of officers under the Ministry of Information.

During the meeting, experts from Information Matrix and Sprinklr demonstrated how the ministry can use information technology and modern mass communication technology in providing news and information to the general public and educational entertainment.

MNA

(Translated by Maung Maung Swe)

Photo:MNA

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