Myanmar's lower house creates new post for Suu Kyi

Myanmar parliament's lower house on Tuesday passed a bill calling for appointment of a state counsellor in the new cabinet, a post to be created for Aung San Suu Kyi.

The bill was approved by the majority of the members of parliament without any amendment to the bill agreed by the upper house after serious debate by the bill committee and some non-elected military representatives who constitutes 25 percent of the seats in the house.

The state counsellor bill, submitted to the upper house last Thursday, was approved by 137-68 vote.

The bill guarantees Aung San Suu Kyi's right to contact government ministries, departments, organisations, associations and individuals for counsel.

She will be accountable to parliament.

The term of office for the counsellor of state is the same as that of the president.

The bill is aimed at ensuring a multi-party democratic system, a market-oriented economic system, a federal union, peace and development in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy chairperson, was first appointed on Wednesday as Myanmar's new foreign minister concurrently holding the portfolios of minister at the president's office, minister of education, and minister of electric power and energy.

As proposed by President U Htin Kyaw, parliament on Tuesday approved to re-allocate two of Aung Saan Suu Kyi's four portfoliuos -- U Myo Thein Gyi as the education minister and U Pe Zin Tun as electric power and energy minister.

Her first two portfolios as foreign affairs minister and president's office minister remained unchanged.

The lower house had also appointed Aung San Suu Kyi as chairperson of the Joint Coordination Committee for development of parliamentary affairs.