National News

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• Daw Suu confirmed speaker posts
• NZ bar manager Blackwood out of Myanmar
• Close to bottom of corruption index but improving slightly
• Controversial hospital extension goes ahead
• Local officials arrested for suspected graft
• Hluttaw committees inefficient, ignored
• Reduced Rakhine State budget under fire
• RCSS trusts NLD to carry peace process
• Delco resumes mining operations
• Ethnic youths call for greater role in peace process

Daw Suu confirmed speaker posts Posted: 28 Jan 2016 04:41 AM PST Confirming informed speculation about the nominations for parliamentary speakers, National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday met with party MPs to reveal the party's choices. As reported in The Myanmar Times, U Win Myint, a member of the NLD central executive, is to be nominated for the key post of lower-house speaker.

NZ bar manager Blackwood out of Myanmar Posted: 28 Jan 2016 01:25 AM PST New Zealand citizen Phil Blackwood has left Myanmar, almost one week on from January 22 amnesty that paved the way for his release.

Close to bottom of corruption index but improving slightly Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Myanmar still languishes among the world's most corrupt countries although its performance has improved slightly over the past year, according to a global review released yesterday.

Controversial hospital extension goes ahead Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST The construction of a controversial 12-storey building in the compound of Yangon General Hospital in downtown Yangon will go ahead as planned, according to the Ministry of Health.

Local officials arrested for suspected graft Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Police who arrested two wanted men in a blaze of gunfire last weekend say they have uncovered a network of corrupt local officials apparently working with the two suspects.

Hluttaw committees inefficient, ignored Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST In a perhaps belated act of self-assertion, parliament's neglected working committees have told the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw they need more staff, more information and better access to decision-makers. During the parliamentary term now about to close, the committee system has been badly attended, inefficient and largely ignored, they complained.

Reduced Rakhine State budget under fire Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST The incoming Rakhine State parliament will have only half the funds it needs to develop the state, a local MP has complained. The state parliament adopted the 2016-17 budget on January 25, days before it rose to give way to the new parliament elected last November.

RCSS trusts NLD to carry peace process Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Warning that "winning an election alone does not bring democracy", one of the signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement signed by eight ethnic armed groups last year has nevertheless expressed confidence in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's ability to promote the peace process.

Delco resumes mining operations Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Tin and tungsten mining company Delco is resuming operations at the site where a child died and homes were destroyed by a flood of sludge last year. The accident last September, at Kanbauk village, 15 miles (24 kilometres) north of Dawei in Tanintharyi Region, damaged or destroyed nearly 60 houses and left 200 residents homeless, according to some accounts.

Ethnic youths call for greater role in peace process Posted: 27 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Ethnic youth groups in Kayah State say they want to get more involved in the peace process.

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