The government are currently accepting comments on the draft law until June 20 and U Maung Maung, a member of the OPRR’s central executive committee said on June 9, that the organisation had seized this opportunity.

“We responded with our thoughts surrounding the weaknesses of the proposed bill,” he said, “the sentence is too short, after the subtracting the length of the trial, the criminal may not spend any time in jail.”

As well as a lengthening of the prison sentence, the OPPR have recommended an increase in the maximum fine attached to the law from K100,000(US $103) to K500,000 ($515), said U Maung Maung.

U Aung Myo Min, director of Equality Myanmar worries that the draft bill has implications for human rights.

“We are afraid that this law may lead to the emergence of a religious police,” he said.

The published draft law says that anyone seeking to change their religion must get permission from a local registration panel; consisting of the chair of the township religious affairs office, representatives from the township's immigration and national identification department, administration department and women's affairs organisation, in addition to local education staff and two elders nominated by the township administration office.

“We have also demanded the participation of the village or ward administrator in the process of conversion,” said U Aye Paing, a lawyer representing the OPPR.

U Maung Maung told Mizzima that the OPPR’s suggestions for amendments to the bill have also included the addition of clauses requiring any individualwishing to convert to be in his late twenties, rather than 18 as is prescribed in the current draft; or to have obtained the permission of their parents.

The draft law on religious conversion, one of four proposed laws on interfaith marriage, was published in all state-run newspapers on May 27 except the English-language New Light of Myanmar.