''On January 29, the Ruling Party NLD made a surprise move in the Parliament to form a Committee for proposing Constitutional Changes to the existing 2008 Constitution. The proposal as expected was vigorously opposed by the Army Representatives led by Brig. Maung Maung who did not speak on the idea of Constitutional amendments but on the procedure adopted by the Ruling Party to push through amendments. On 15th of February , the second Coordination meeting for Constitutional amendments met for forming a Joint Committee to consider the issue. Two Parties- the unofficial party of the Army- the USDP and the Arakan National Party in whose area fierce fighting is going on between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army did not send the names for the Joint Committee to be formed. On 19th of February, a Committee with 45 members to amend the Constitution was approved by a vote in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union). Members of Parliament from 14 political parties , the Army (Tatmadaw) and independents met to form this committee and a total of 389 MPs voted for, with 192 against and with three abstentions. Significantly, in the proportionate representation to the committee to look into the amendments, the names for the 8 MPs from the Army and two MPs from the USDP could not be announced as no names were forthcoming neither from the Army or from the USDP. The message is clear- that the Army is not for any amendment now...''