Legislators from both Rakhine National Development Party( RNDP) and Union Solidarity Development Party (USDA) in the Arakan state parliament argued yesterday on a proposal of a USDA representative who proposed to renew the Arakan state flag and its people’s national dresses, according to parliament sources.
U Tha Nyunt, who is a legislator of USDA from Man Aung Township as well as vice chairman of the Arakan state parliament, proposed to renew the Arakan state flag and national dresses of Arakanese people in the parliament because they are currently not appropriated with present or modern world.
Because of this, U Tha Nyunt proposed in parliament to renew the Arakan state flag and the national dresses of Arakanese, the source said.
Another USDP legislator from Buthidaung Township, U Maung San Shwe, supported the proposal of U Tha Nyut in the parliament to renew the flag and dresses of Arakanese.
Within the time, the Chairman of Arakan state parliament, U Htin Lin, proposed to approve the proposal of U Tha Nyunt, and asked if there is any opposition to his proposal. Afterward, U Aung Mra Kyaw, the legislator of RNDP from Sittwe Township, stood up and told in the parliament that he opposed the proposal.
When Narinjara asked U Aung Mra Kyaw over the phone yesterday why he opposed the proposal of U Tha Nyunt on the renewal of Arakan state flag and national dresses, he said, “It is not the right time to renew our state flag and national dresses. It is a sensitive issue and we all need to consider the issue seriously before making a decision because it concerns all Arakanese people. That is the reason why I opposed the proposal on the renewal of flag and dresses proposed by the USDP representative.”
After U Aung Mra Kyaw opposed the proposal, the Chairman of Arakan state parliament, U Htin Lin , announced putting it to a vote in accordance with rules of parliament.
In Arakan state parliament, there are 14 representatives of RNDP, 13 representatives of USDA and 15 representatives of army.
“We were defeated by the USDP with 14 votes against 28 votes. 15 army representatives supported the proposal of the USDP against us. Because of this, we lost,” said U Aung Mra Kyaw.
In next Monday’s parliament session, the USDP representative is likely to propose to form a committee tasked with the implementation and adoption of the renewal of the Arakan state flag and Arakanese national dresses. In the time, the RNDP is also going to oppose the formation of the committee for the renewal of the flag and dresses, RNDP sources said.
RNDP is now preparing to hold a public meeting in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan, to collect public opinion to against the USDP propose flag and dresses renewal .
