Siitwe: The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, or RNDP, has objected to the appointment of a Muslim lawmaker as secretary of the legislative committee of the Arakan State Parliament on the charge that the lawmaker is not a citizen of Burma.

U Khine Pray Soe, secretary of the RNDP, told Narinjara that his party has objected to the appointment of U Zarhivir, aka U Aung Myo Min, from the Union Solidarity and Development Party. He was elected in the first constituency in Maungdaw Township in accordance with the 2008 constitution.

"The legislative role is very important and it is not appropriate at all to appoint one who bears debatable citizen status as the secretary of the legislative committee of the state parliament. We have to object to the appointment of U Zarhivir because it is not in accordance with the 2008 constitution," said U Khine Pray Soe.

The 2008 constitution, drafted by the current regime, has a clause stating a member of parliament must be a citizen who was born to parents who were citizens of Burma.

The legislative committee of the Arakan State Parliament was formed at the parliamentary session on 1 March and consists of five appointed members, of whom three are elected lawmakers and two are outside scholars.

U Aung Naing, another MP from the USDP elected in the second constituency in Thandwe Township was appointed as president of the committee while Zarhivir was appointed as secretary. U Phoe Min, an MP from the RNDP in Rathidaung Township's second constituency is a member of the committee along with outside scholars U Kyaw Tha, retired assistant director of the high court, and U Maung Tha Hla, a retired law officer of the state.

U Khine Pray Soe, however, said that their submission of the objection was rejected without any discussion in the parliament.

"We submitted our objection to the parliament on 2 March, and it was rejected on 3 March. We were merely told that the appointment came after step-by-step examinations by the higher authorities and the Arakan State Parliament does not have the authority to withdraw the appointment," he said.

U Zarhivir has been unavailable for comments despite attempts to reach him. According to a source close to Zarhivir, he is one of the few Muslims who hold a national ID card and his identity number is Ak-195265, although his other relatives hold only the white ID cards that bear the remark, "by this card, the holder must not claim citizenship of any country".