"All eyes in Myanmar have been on the country’s parliament since a debate on proposed constitutional amendments commenced last week. However, a group of military-appointed lawmakers stole the limelight on Wednesday with a distinctive arrival at the Union Parliament in the political capital, Nay Pyi Taw. It was not because they carried guns to parliament; rather, it was the fact that all 116 military lawmakers wore protective face masks. A member of the ruling National League party said their most likely aim was to raise public awareness on the threat posed by the global coronavirus outbreak. “People pay attention to the Hluttaw [Burmese term for parliament] these days. So, they might have thought the timing was right to send a message to the public about the coronavirus threat,” he told Anadolu Agency over the phone on Wednesday. “In my opinion, it is a good idea. But I don’t know if it is just a stunt or a sincere show of concern,” said the lawmaker, who requested anonymity due to a fear of reprisal. The move came after the military announced earlier this week that the outbreak may postpone the annual ceremony of Armed Forces Day on March 27. Myanmar, which shares a long and porous border with neighboring China, is surprisingly not among the over 75 countries with confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, the country’s health authorities have warned of a potential outbreak and urged people to avoid mass gatherings. In its daily press release on Wednesday, the health ministry said there were no coronavirus cases in the country but said an outbreak was still possible..."