Myanmar president for regular constitution amendments

Myanmar President U Thein Sein Thursday said that a healthy constitution must be amended regularly to address society's national, economic and social needs.

Addressing the nation on state radio, he said political dialogue, essential for national reconciliation and the foundation of the national peace process might require the amending or revision of the constitution, Xinhua reported.

"Amending the provision on the qualification of the political leadership of the country, I would not want restrictions being imposed on the right of any citizen to become the leader of the country," Sein said.

In this regard, he said, the amendment of the constitution will be undertaken to facilitate national reconciliation, the foundation of the national peace process, through consensus based on mutual understanding, and listening to each other's demands.

Sein said that a discussion about constitutional amendment issues and other related issues, which would have been impossible before, is now openly discussed and debated among the public.

Showing the level of political maturity in the country, Myanmar's main political group, the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and other political parties have also actively organised forums and meetings to discuss constitutional amendments, he added.

He added that the reform process is stronger, adding that an achievement of the reforms was the much-anticipated and grand hosting of the 27th Southeast Asian Games in December.

In 2014, Myanmar will take over the important responsibility of chairing the regional group of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ensuring success of our chairmanship of the group through the joint efforts of our people, he added.

So far, with the aim of national reconciliation, together with the hard work of the political prisoner review committee, and in keeping with his promise, Sein has freed all political prisoners by the end of last year.