[Working Paper] Civic Engagement between MPs and their Regional Community

Introduction

Members of Parliament (MPs) have three major responsibilities, including the responsibility to represent their constituencies. This means MPs are responsible for helping and protecting the people who voted for them in accordance with the existing law and their authority. As representatives, MPs have to present the people’s needs and difficulties to the government. This task can be effectively carried out through actions such as approving laws required for the country and monitoring the government instead of the people. Therefore, MPs need to strengthen their activities on their representative duty. MPs also need support and assistance to be effective representatives. Moreover, there is also a need to upgrade the capacities of MPs as well as their support staff.

In order for MPs to be effective representatives, it is necessary for them to improve their level of knowledge on topics such as understanding the existing political situation through the voters, the role of Parliament and representatives, and citizen rights and responsibilities. By increasing their own awareness on these topics, citizens can also collaborate with MPs, evaluate and criticize the performance of Members of Parliament and the government, monitor the government through MPs, and participate and contribute to the legislation process. Only if these needs between Members of Parliament can be fulfilled, transparency, accountability, responsibility, and collaboration can be strengthened. Only if these representative duties are carried out effectively, regional development can be progressed more and more.

Author

The Open Myanmar Initiative (OMI) is a nonprofit organization promoting the right to information and education. The OMI is the first independent political think-tank in Myanmar, and it strives to play an important role in formulating policy studies and recommendations on various political issues and providing them to policymakers, political parties, civil society organizations, and the general population through various delivery systems, including publishing, using social media networks, providing training and public talks, organizing seminars and conferences, as well as direct engagement with Members of Parliament and Government Ministers.