Opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has urged the public to ignore a report by the former joint parliamentary constitution review committee, which claims that more than 100,000 people petitioned against amending Article 59(f) of the charter.
Article 59(f) refers to the presidency clause, which prevents the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from acquiring the presidential role even if her party is elected in the 2015 general election.
The National League for Democracy leader said that while there were signatures, there appeared to be no other information associated to them such as names or townships in which they lived.
"They are only signatures, so I regard it as something not to be taken into account," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said.
The report by the joint parliamentary constitution review committee, submitted on January 31, said 106,102 people were against amending Article 59(f) while just 529 were in favor.
"Just ignore that 100,000 figure, as it is not definitive nor clear. It is quite obvious that the majority want to amend it," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said.
The figures of the petition were provided to the constitution review committee by U Aung Thein Lin, a Hluttaw member in South Okkalapa Township for the Union Solidarity and Development Party - and also a member of the joint parliamentary constitution review committee.
U Aung Thein Lin told Mizzima on February 3 that he was duty-bound to uphold the constitution and present the signatures to the committee.
However, he did not elaborate to how the signatures were collected.
In addition to Article 59(f), the petition lobbied against amendments which would remove the Tatmadaw as a lead decision-making body in the constitution.
