Naypyidaw: Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military junta leader and president for nearly four months, has criticized the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) peace plan and outlined his governance plans amidst ongoing conflict with anti-government groups.
According to Thai News Agency, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in a statement to parliament today, rejected ASEAN's "Five-Point Consensus" peace plan. He accused the 11 ASEAN member states of being discriminatory towards Myanmar, asserting that Myanmar had shown patience and would react to unconstructive actions individually.
The junta leader announced plans to hold by-elections in 2027 in the 172 constituencies where elections were disrupted due to unrest. The government aims to strengthen military and police capabilities and continue enforcing the conscription law.
In terms of peacebuilding and crime suppression, the government has invited opposition groups to engage in dialogue without preconditions, having already engaged with 13 ethnic armed groups. Efforts are being accelerated to combat money laundering, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and online scam centers.
For infrastructure and economic development, the focus is on the 1,400-kilometer trilateral highway project connecting India, Myanmar, and Thailand, and the 410-kilometer Mandalay-Muse railway project to connect with the Chinese border. These projects aim to reduce costs and export times for goods to global markets. Additionally, the government is advancing 10 power generation projects, including the controversial Myitsone Dam and a nuclear power plant under construction.
In education, the leader aims to increase the budget to 10 percent in the next fiscal year and 15 percent by the 2028-2029 fiscal year. The government is also promoting tourism and agriculture, with a focus on domestic cotton production through loans and technology support for farmers. However, Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged that many young people aged 18 to 34 are leaving the country, affecting economic development. The conscription law is cited as a major factor in this trend. He noted that nation-building momentum would take two years to build, with full implementation expected over three additional years.