T Khun Myat (Burmese: တီခွန်မြတ် [tiː kʰʊ̀ɴ mjaʔ]; born 30 October 1949) is a Burmese politician, lawyer and Speaker of the Union Assembly, the Joint House and Pyithu Hluttaw, the lower house of the Myanmar parliament. In both 2010 election and 2015 election, he contested and won the Kutkai Township constituency for a seat in the country's lower house.[1][2]
T Khun Myat | |
|---|---|
တီခွန်မြတ် | |
| 4th Speaker of the Assembly of the Union | |
| Assumed office 1 August 2018 | |
| Deputy | Tun Tun Hein |
| Preceded by | Mahn Win Khine Than |
| 3rd Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 22 March 2018 | |
| Deputy | Tun Tun Hein |
| Preceded by | Win Myint |
| 2nd Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 1 February 2016 – 22 March 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Nanda Kyaw Swa |
| Succeeded by | Tun Tun Hein |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 31 January 2011 – 31 January 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Constituency | Kutkai Township |
| Leader of People’s Militia Forces in Kutkai Township | |
| In office 1990–2010 | |
| Director of Office of the Attorney General | |
| In office 1990–2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1949 |
| Nationality | Myanmar |
| Political party | Independent (2016–present) Union Solidarity and Development Party (2010–2016) |
| Spouse | Yin May |
| Parent(s) | T Khun Gaung, Phaw Jan Htu |
| Residence | Kutkai Township |
| Occupation | Lawyer, government servant, militia leader, politician |
After the February 2021 coup by the military, according to Article (424) of the Constitution and Article (17) of the Pyithu Hluttaw Law, T Khun Myat continues to serve as the Speaker of the Hluttaw.[3]
Background edit
T Khun Myat is an ethnic Kachin and a descendant of a prominent Kachin traditional ruling Duwa family, the "T" at the beginning of his name comes from his family clan name Tangbau.[1] He is a Christian.
Career edit
T Khun Myat served as the legal director at the Office of the Attorney General as well as the leader of People's Militia Forces in Kutkai Township under the control of Burmese Army between 1990 and 2010. He was involved in the commission drafting the constitution in 2007 and the commission of 2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum. He also served as the executive member of Union Solidarity and Development Party for northern Shan State.[4][2]
He was elected as a member of the Pyithu Hluttaw in the 2010 general elections for the Shan State constituency of Kutkai.
He was also chair of the Committee on Bills in the Lower House (2011–16), a body tasked with drafting new legislation and amending or repealing laws considered out of date.[5][1]
Along with the other allies of Shwe Mann, T Khun Myatt was sacked from the Union Solidarity and Development Party.[6]
Following the resignation of Win Myint as speaker of the House of Representatives, T Khun Myatt was elected by the Pyithu Hluttaw as the next speaker. He was sworn in on 22 March 2018.[7] Although many state- and union-level politicians, including Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint, were placed under house arrest during the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état on 1 February, T Khun Myat remained in his office under the Constitution of Myanmar. He attended the meeting of National Defence and Security Council which was hold on 31 January 2022.That meeting extended the State of Emergency to next (6) months.[8][9]
In January 2023, T Khun Myat was awarded the civilian title of Thiri Pyanchi by the military junta.[10]
Drug controversy edit
T Khun Myat was the former leader of a militia in Kutkai Township and accused of involvement in illicit drug trade and money laundering.[11] He had been a shareholder in the now-defunct Myanmar May Flower Bank, which was abolished due to money laundering in the illicit drugs industry. He has denied any accusation of his involvement in the drug trade.[1][12][4][2]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "USDP Incumbents Bring Guns, Alleged Drug Ties to 2015 Race". The Irrawaddy.
- ^ a b c "The drug war in Myanmar's mountains". IRIN.
- ^ "Pyiyhu Hluttaw Law (2012)" (in Burmese).
- ^ a b "NLD confirms parliament speakers; Nominee for deputy parliament speaker T Khun Myat unclear from opium".
- ^ "People's Assembly – Committees – Parliament Watch – ALTSEAN Burma".
- ^ Frontier. "T Khun Myat: Who is the new Pyithu speaker?". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Frontier. "T Khun Myat: Who is the new Pyithu speaker?". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ "National Defence and Security Council (1/2022)".
- ^ "Republic of the Union of Myanmar National Defence and Security Council Announcement No 1/2022".
- ^ "Wirathu, preacher of hate, receives top honour from Myanmar junta chief". Myanmar NOW. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Myanmar Military Seizes US$64M of Drugs in Shan State". The Irrawaddy. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "NLD claims to have monitored everyone from Shan state including T Khun Myat since 2014".