Burmese Language
Civil servant wage hike approved amid controversy
A move to raise the minimum wage of civil servants to 210,000 kyat ($210) a month has been ratified without dissent by Parliament, days after being publicly challenged by the Finance Minister Hla Tun.
The decision risks a tussle with Cabinet, who are understood to have backed demands to withdraw the proposals in an alleged bid to protect the country’s faltering economy.
In a letter to the Union Government, Parliamentary Speaker, Shwe Mann, who tabled the proposal, has called on executive authorities to “carry out the decision” in accordance with their mandate.
“The Union Government has a duty to carry out this matter,” he said. “We must follow the rules of the Constitution.”
Finance Minister Hla Tun had argued that plans to double the pay for civil servants in the financial year starting on 1 April would lead to a 12 percent increase in Burma’s national deficit at a time when the country already has 11 billion dollars in national debt and only 7 billion in reserves.
His challenge comes weeks after backing an increase in military spending to 25.1 percent in next year’s budget. At the time he defended his position on the basis that Burma still spends far less than Thailand or Singapore, which allocates around $US8 billion each year to the military and is a chief supplier of weaponry to Burma.
But according to MP, Phone Myint Aung, the Finance Minister had failed to note the discrepancy in gross domestic product between the countries, with Singapore’s currently standing at around $222.7 billion and Burma’s less than $US85 billon.
The World Bank recently announced that Burma will be required to re-pay several hundred million dollars in arrears, before it can resume lending to the isolated country.
“We will need the support of the international community,” Hla Tun told Parliament last week. “We are 11 billion dollars in debt. We have only just over 7 billion in reserves. If bonds are to be sold, Burmese laws and regulations must be drawn up so that the international community can buy them and invest.”
MP Dr Aye Maung said if She Mann’s proposal for a salary hike could not be carried out for 2012-2013 financial year, a public opinion poll should be held.
“If the President cannot oblige the proposal of U Shwe Mann by 2012-2013, the president should carry out a public opinion poll. Public trust and the trust of civil servants will impact on the Cabinet. The impetus of the Cabinet is the bureaucracy. It is impossible without the participation of civil servants.”
Currently, the average civil servant earns around 100,000 kyat ($100) per month.
Tags: budget, burma, democracy, myanmar
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Burma is rich as it is. Just stop the government thieves from stealing.
Burmese progress is NOT IMF coming in Or WB ordering about like these self-styled progressive liberals think. It is a lot simpler.
It is for everybody to keep 5 precepts.
No one can do it. Can you?
Burmese economy is based on opium, drugs,stealing public property and extortion.
By the way wasn’t it a great parliamentary debate. Bravo!!!
Wish Shwe Man’s son (himself included) doesn’t rob the land off the farmers. Is it possible Mr. People’s Parliament Speaker? (Great title)
The salary increment should not be equal to all levels. High percentage in lower level and less in higer levels to prevent the high gap of income.
The Government income from selling everything must be accounted with the market exchange rate, 800K to 1US$. No more 6K rate. Then the budget 2012-13 and thereafter will be needed to draw with the real term to reflect the reality.
They also should find out how the national income were allocated and what went wrong for at least 10 years back by independent auditing of all government/national accounts. The people have right to know why they are poorer then poorer. Only the Gov high officers, military high officers and tycons who related to the Gov/military are very rich.
Bribery halts progress and affects everybody’s daily life. Salary increment is a key for smoothening the processes. it is a peanut, compare to wastages, delays, trusts, (draining country economy like a bag full of holes), (like a country is waiting for a transport on the roadside while all other countries are on the fast cars and reaching out farther and farther away). Why do they allocate 25% for the military ? Burma does not need to worry about China (anyway we can not even resist to them either and they have already taken many resources and access to the country for almost free). Thailand will not harm Burma, neither India nor Bangladesh nor Laos. The only thing to worry about is National Forces, who are already on the negotiation tables or on the way to do so soon. The military budget should not be allocated more than 15% of total. It is more than enough. Get the government start issuing treasury bonds/notes, if you need money. We progress faster if we get long term loans from the richs with a minimum interest. Otherwise, we should say the very man do not know how to do his job well. In this case look out for a someone who can do this job. This is a difficult period for all. We can not afford or should not depend on just one man. Cheers.
this is super stupid. If the govt increase civil servants wages unilaterally, inflation will be astronomical. They should let the economy grow first, then private sector wages will grow. Then, govt should adjust public sector wages. What an idiotic proposal with zero appreciation of side effects.