Yesterday at the first session of the Shan State Assembly held in Shan State South’s Taunggyi, none of ethnic parties’ representatives were elected as house speakers except members of junta-run Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), according to party sources.

Burma’s new parliament was opened yesterday for the first time in 23years and meetings of different houses [upper house, lower house and state legislature] are being held in different venues. While sessions of upper house and lower house are being held in Naypyitaw, region/state legislature assemblies are being held in their state capitals concerned.

“All the USDP nominees won all three positions, Chairman of the chamber, Speaker of the house and deputy speaker of the house,” said a non-Shan party representative.

There are 142 representatives participating in the meeting which is held at the historic Tiger Head hall in Taunggyi.

Sai Htun Yin of USDP Taunggyi won over U Win Myint of Inn National Development Party (INDP) for the position of Chairman of chamber and Sai Long Hseng of USDP Kengtung won over rival Nang Ngwe Ngwe of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) Muse for the position of house speaker. Nang Ngwe Ngwe of SNDP again competed with Sai Kham Mart of USDP Lashio for deputy house speaker, but she lost again.

“It was secret voting process. If you did not like the person you just need to put a cross in the paper,” the source said.

However, the date for selection of the chief minister of the state is yet to be announced as representatives of self-administered zones also need to return home to form the leading bodies of the self-administered zones for Wa, Kokang, Pa-O, Palaung and Danu.

According to junta drawn 2008 constitution, each leading body of the self-administrated divisions and self-administrated zones shall consist of at least 10 members.

Afterwards, members of the leading bodies of the self-administrated divisions and self-administrated zone shall select a suitable person as the chairperson of the self- administrated division or the self- administrated zone from the region or state legislation. The name of the person so elected shall be submitted to the president through the chief minister of the region or state concerned. The president shall appoint the person who is nominated as the chairperson of the zone concerned.

“Therefore, the meeting is likely to be adjourn for a few days before we can appoint the chief minister of the Shan State,” the elected representative said.

He added that no meeting agenda was provided, therefore representatives are not aware of what issues will be discussed in the coming days.