Policy Affairs Steering Committee becomes decision maker in ANP

By Phadu Tun Aung 01 Jun 2019

Phadu Tun Aung | DMG

June 1, Sittwe

The Arakan National Party, the strongest political party in Arakan State, has set up a steering committee for policy affairs during the party’s conference.

The new committee will set up and decide policies of the ANP and the central executive committee including the chair of the party will implement the decision of the steering committee.

When Dr Aye Maung was the chair of the ANP, the steering committee for policy affairs was not established. The central executive committee only decided what the ANP would do. 

“The new committee is the most influential in regard to policies of the party. It is more powerful than the central executive committee. The steering committee renders decisions exclusively on policies. This is a new committee, we can say that other political parties in Myanmar do not have such a committee,” said U Aung Kyaw Htwe, member of central executive committee of the ANP.

He added that the steering committee was formed to control an individual’s influence in the ANP and to go forward under the leadership of all participants.

“The change in the second conference was forming a steering committee for policy affairs. It is an interesting change according to the structure of the party. It could help the party to step forward under the leadership of all stakeholders in the long run,” he said.

“According to the political culture, we could reduce idolization. And all participants are helping the party move forward,” he added.

The new committee includes CEC members such as U Oo Hla Saw, Daw Aye Nu Sein, U Tun Aung Kyaw, U Tha Tun Hla, U Khiang Pyi Soe and more.

The conference of the ANP was held for three days from May 30 to June 1 in Sittwe and the new chairperson was elected to fill the vacancy.

U Tha Tun Hla was elected as the chair of the ANP and U Tin Nyo and U Myint Naing were appointed as vice chairmen. The general secretary of the ANP is U Khaing Pyi Soe. The chairperson and the secretary are included in the steering committee for policy affairs.

When Dr Aye Maung was the chairperson, the ANP received the majority of votes in the 2015 election and controlled the State parliament. However, there was conflict among top leaders of the ANP after the election, some members were expelled and some resigned. Dr Aye Maung is one of the members who left the ANP.

Under the instruction of Dr Aye Maung, a new political party named “Arakan Front Party” was established. It should become the main opponent of the ANP in the coming 2020 election, some Arakan politicians said.