Nay Pyi Taw October 16
Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a speech at the meeting with Union ministers and chief ministers of regions and states this afternoon.
Also, present at the meeting were Commission Vice Chairman Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Commission member and Prime Minister U Nyo Saw, Com-mission member and Executive Chief U Aung Lin Dway, Commission Secretary Joint Executive Chief General Ye Win Oo, Commission members, Union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, chief ministers of regions and states, and deputy ministers.
In his speech, the Acting President and SSPC Chairman of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar said that he will give guidance on promotion of the State economy and development of the nation so that the current government will make preparations for the forthcoming government.
A government is responsible for carrying out improvement of socio-economic life of the State and the people. Likewise, the government needs to take security measures of the State. In addition, the government must act in a way that earns respect and dignity for its country in the eyes of the international community. If so, it will be a strong government which can win the trust of the people. Hence, it is very important for enhancement of the socio-economic life of the State as a must.
Primarily, Myanmar is engaging in the agriculture and livestock business. Some 70 percent of the people reside in the urban and the rest 30 percent in the urban area. Of them, some 50 percent of the people are operating their livelihoods in agriculture, forestry, live-stock and fisheries sectors. As such, the efforts to promote agricultural and livestock products mean enhancing the State economy. Only when they promote the rural economy will the State economy rise, reducing the poverty at the same time.
In the agriculture sector, extended cultivation of crops including industrial crops will contribute to development of industries as well as improvement of manufacturing and service measures. Efforts should be made to develop agriculture and livestock activities as the primary business of the State in order to improve the industrial and service sectors.
It is necessary to increase peracre yield of crops on the existing cultivable lands, rather than expansion of sown acreage to produce the larger volume of crops. Although farmers are striving to meet the target production of crops, such an effort fails to meet the target production due to various reasons. Farmers need to use quality strains of crops, use fertilizer to have fertile soils, efficiently utilize agricultural water and apply modern agricultural techniques in order to raise the per-acre yield of crops. As the government is providing assistance for meeting the target production of crops, farmers need to expedite efforts to meet the target production. By doing so, farmers will have benefits. Only when they themselves make concerted efforts in their works will they enjoy the deserved benefits.
The government allows farmers to expand sown acreage of sunflower and coffee in order to ensure sufficiency of cooking oil at home and to produce the larger volume of coffee. Farmers are being encouraged to grow sunflower as the country needs cooking oil at home. Although they grow sesame and groundnut for traditional consumption and export, these crops still need oil sufficiency at home. Growing sunflower can contribute to local oil sufficiency on the one hand while reducing the import volume of oil, much benefiting the State.
When it comes to coffee cultivation, although coffee cultivation projects have been planned and implemented in the past, they have not achieved the expected success due to incomplete cultivation efforts and the use of alternative methods. It is possible to cultivate lowland coffee across the entire country. Therefore, permissions have been granted to expand coffee cultivation areas, and there is a need for full-scale cultivation.
Regarding industrial crops, there are seasonal crops, short-term crops, and perennial crops. Cotton is a seasonal crop, sugarcane is a short-term crop, and crops like coffee and rubber are perennial crops. Cotton is primarily cultivated in Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, and Bago Regions, with a total of approximately 500,000 acres under cultivation. If cultivation can be carried out to achieve the full yield per acre, it will greatly benefit the country. Region and state chief ministers are urged to prioritize agricultural activities to promote the economic development of their regions and the nation.
Regarding food security, efforts are being made to ensure sufficient food supplies. To achieve an abundance of meat and fish according to regional needs, agricultural and livestock zones must be established. There is a need to progressively increase livestock breeding to ensure food security based on the population of each region. For example, in the Yangon Region, with a population of
7 million, if half of the population (3.5 million) consumes one egg per day, 3.5 million eggs will be required daily. To meet this demand, approximately 4 million chickens need to be raised. Therefore, regions and states must implement livestock breeding programs in phases: 25 percent in the first phase, 40 percent in the second phase, and 100 percent sufficiency in the final phase to support food security.
Regarding food supply, live-stock breeding programs must be implemented to ensure sufficient supplies of eggs, meat, and fish. By doing so, the prices of meat and fish will become reasonably stable. The two national goals are the prosperity of the country and food security. The government must work towards these ambitious goals.
Long-term successful cultivation of industrial raw material crops such as cotton, cocoa, coffee, mango, rubber, and cashew must be pursued. Increased production of industrial products will greatly benefit the country.
Regarding budget expenditure, budget plans must be drafted and expenditures made as planned. Budget spending will stimulate financial circulation, improve supply and demand, and support the development of basic infrastructure. Surplus funds should be used to repair and maintain essential infrastructure such as basic education schools, universities, and colleges. Teaching aids and laboratories required for schools should also be provided. This will help produce qualified human resources and establish standardized schools. Budget allocations should prioritize the education and health sectors.
Efforts must be made to improve knowledge and skills through quality education. Long-term reforms are needed to enhance the basic mindset of the public. Infrastructure improvements are necessary to uplift the morale of students.
Regarding healthcare, many hospitals are still incomplete. Hospitals must be visually appealing and staffed with competent personnel to gain the full trust of the public. Necessary physical and medical equipment must be provided. Housing for education and health workers must also be addressed.
Regarding transportation and communication, roads must be improved, and trees should be planted along roadsides to provide shade. Smooth roads and well-constructed bridge approaches are essential. All available resources must be utilized during this period to promote national and economic development.
Union ministers and region/state chief ministers reported on the following: accurate data on paddy cultivation areas and yields, progress toward achieving targets, support provided by the state including inputs, ensuring smooth and accurate commodity flows, stabilizing commodity prices, ensuring accurate voter lists and polling station arrangements for a successful free and fair multi-party democratic election, the reopening and operation of basic schools and universities that were temporarily closed, the implementation progress of projects according to policies, and the clearance and reconstruction efforts for damages caused by earthquakes.
Then, Commission Secretary Joint Executive Chief General Ye Win Oo reported to the meeting on seizures of narcotic drugs and illegal unlevied goods and operations of online gambling and prevention of them in states and regions.
Afterward, Vice Chairman of the commission Vice-Senior General Soe Win reported to the meeting on the needs for responsible officials to place special emphasis on security measures during election campaigns and election phases, to take special measures to compile correct voters’ lists and avoid faults in all sectors by taking lessons from the 2020 election and other steps to be taken by respective ministries, states and regions for compilation of correct voters’ lists.
Then, the Senior General made concluding remarks, saying a population census was conducted to get precise and correct voters’ lists in the election and it is important to compile correct voters’ lists. It is necessary to assign duties in voting booths systematically. The election commission and regional and state governments are required to scrutinize measures to achieve proper and correct tasks. In the election, it is necessary to elect candidates who uphold “Our Three Main National Causes” and have political, security, economic and administrative visions and can really serve the interests of the country.
It will be beneficial if bee breeding is carried out in combination with agriculture tasks. It is also possible to cultivate mushrooms that are appropriate for climate and land condition of respective regions and states. It is necessary to produce more vegetables such as potatoes, onions and chilies.
In using timber, permissions to use timber will be issued in accordance with rules and regulations. Systematic measures must be taken to prevent illegal logging and environmental conservation tasks must be carried out on the other hand. We have adopted and implemented mottos “Let us encourage production for prosperity of the Nation,” “Let us ensure education sector for the development of the Nation,” and “Let us protect our environment for the prosperity of the Nation,” and it is necessary to do accordingly. After the remarks of the Senior General, the meeting concluded.
