The Union Assembly is likely to expose the identity of Dr. Seik Phwar, an anonymous online critic of the government, in late June when the parliamentary session resumes, according to Phone Myint Aung, a member of the investigation commission on the case.
One of Dr. Seik Phwar's allegedly “slanderous” blogs. See translation: http://www.article19.org/join-the-debate.php/91/view/
He said that the 17-member parliamentary investigation commission already knows the identity of so-called ‘Dr. Seik Phwar’ who has published on the Internet several scathing articles with titles such as: “Is parliament above the law?” and “Parliament speaker and his cohorts”.
“We have presented our report to parliament,” said Phone Myint Aung. “The Speaker of the House will expose who Dr. Seik Phwar is. I think it will be announced around late June.”
MP Dr. Soe Yin put forward a motion at the Union Assembly on January 17 to investigate the identity of the author of the allegedly slanderous article, “Is parliament above the law?” which was written on a blog named “Voice of Myanmar”. Following that motion, an investigation commission was formed.
In the article, Dr. Seik Phwar used the phrase “The Union Assembly Speaker and his colleagues,” which some MPs took as an insult to their integrity.
The investigation commission subsequently worked in cooperation with the Communications Ministry, the President’s Office, the Deputy Ministers of the Information Ministry, and some news media, according to Phone Myint Aung.
“Parliament must decide how the author should be punished,” he added.
Several observers and Internet bloggers have condemned the parliament for wasting time and resources setting up a 17-member investigation commission on a matter they say is so trivial.
