Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing criticises ASEAN, sets out government agenda

July 31 (Reuters) - Nearly four months after ‌taking office, Myanmar's junta ​chief turned ​president Min Aung Hlaing on Friday criticised the regional ASEAN bloc's peace plan and outlined his government's plans for the war-torn Southeast Asian country.

Myanmar was plunged into turmoil in February 2021 ‌when the military ousted an elected government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung ⁠San Suu Kyi, sparking protests that expanded into a protracted civil war, killing some 100,000 people and displacing millions.

At the turn of ‌this year, the military engineered a widely ‌criticised election won by an army-backed party that allowed Min Aung Hlaing to transition into a civilian role.

Following are some key points from his speech to parliament:

• Dismissing ASEAN's peace plan -- known as the "Five Point ​Consensus" -- Min Aung Hlaing said the 11-member bloc has discriminated against Myanmar.

• "We have been patient. We will respond to non-constructive actions on a case-by-case basis," he said, without referring to any specific member of ⁠the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

• His administration will hold by-elections in 2027 in 172 constituencies unable to vote during the December-January polls because of ​the ongoing unrest.

• The government will enhance the capacity of the military and police, while continuing to implement a conscription law, he said.

• His administration has invited rebel ​groups for talks without preconditions and, so far, has met ‌with 13 ethnic armed organisations (EAOs).

• The government is working to stop money laundering and arms smuggling by EAOs as well as cracking down on drug trafficking and online scam ⁠centres, Min Aung Hlaing said.

• The government is prioritising the 1,400-km (870-mile) India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project, as well as the 410-km (254-mile) Mandalay-Muse railway project to reach the border with China.

• "The goal is to export goods to international markets in a short time ⁠at low cost," Min Aung Hlaing said.

• The government is currently working on 10 power generation projects, including the controversial Myitsone dam, ​and efforts are also underway to build a nuclear power plant.

• His government will allocate 10% of the national budget for the education sector in the next fiscal year and up to 15% in the 2028-2029 fiscal year.

• The government is ‌focusing on the tourism and agriculture sectors, and aims to boost domestic cotton production via loans and technical assistance for farmers, he said.

• Large numbers of young people, ‌aged between 18 and 34, have been leaving the country, impacting economic development, he said.

• The military's conscription law is ⁠a major factor for this exodus, Reuters has ‌previously reported.

• "I will take two years ​to build momentum for constructing a new nation," he said. "I will also take three years to execute this build-up at full speed."

(Reporting Reuters staff, Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by ‌David Stanway)

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