"It is a responsibility for an MP to keep in touch with the people and to impart the situations of the people to the parliament," said U Phe Than, an MP from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party who was elected in Mraybon Township in western Burma's Arakan State.

He said he submitted a written appeal to the chairman of the people's parliament, U Shwe Mann, along with copies to the chief minister of the state, the election commission, and his party's chairman, on 22 April, requesting permission to hold public meetings in his constituency after he was stopped from doing so by the township administrator.

"I had a plan to travel to the villages in my township to hold public meetings from 10 April, but the township administrator, U Min Khine Win has stopped my plan, claiming there was no permission from the higher authorities. So I have written to the authorities for the permission," he said.

He added that Mraybon Township was the hardest hit by Cyclone Giri, which struck Arakan State last October, and most of the people in the township are still homeless and living without adequate food and water, making it very important to meet with the people in the township to learn of their latest situation and inform the parliament.

He said his meetings with the people would also be helpful in easing growing dissatisfaction among the people over the re-appointment of the former VPDC chairmen in the village-level administrations throughout the township.

"Despite being stopped by the township administrator, I will continue my plan for the public meetings in my township by the end of this month because it is very important and my responsibility as an MP. I have also written this in my letter to the authorities," he said.

According to the RNDP head office, U Maung Nyo, another MP from the party, has also requested permission to hold public conferences in order to explain his experience in parliament in Sittwe Township.