Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing on Friday criticised ASEAN for discriminating against Myanmar, dismissing the regional bloc's "Five-Point Consensus" peace plan as he outlined his government's plans for the war-torn Southeast Asian country nearly four months after taking office.
Dismissing ASEAN's peace plan, known as the "Five-Point Consensus", Min Aung Hlaing said the 11-member bloc had discriminated against Myanmar, according to Reuters.
"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.
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.
His administration will hold by-elections in 2027 in 172 constituencies that were unable to vote during the December-January polls because of the ongoing unrest, he said.
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 to 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.
He also said in his speech that 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 to the education sector in the next fiscal year and up to 15% in the 2028-2029 fiscal year.
As for the tourism and agriculture sectors, Min Aung Hlaing said his government aims to boost domestic cotton production through loans and technical assistance for farmers.
Large numbers of young people aged between 18 and 34 have been leaving the country, affecting economic development, he said.
In his speech, Min Aung Hlaing announced: "I will take two years to build momentum for constructing a new nation and will also take three years to execute this build-up at full speed."
