Give drafters a chance: CNS
The Council for National Security yesterday claimed there was a concerted movement among anti-coup activists to reject the draft constitution regardless of its content.
CNS Secretary-General Winai Phattiyakul said: "Some biased people are bent on an outright rejection of the drafting process before they see the substance of the basic law."Winai is urging for calm before people pass judgement on the draft, which is still on the drawing board, saying the political reform will only succeed after an articulate exchange of ideas but it will fail if groups held grudges. "All sides should wait for the completion of the preliminary draft in April before raising their objections and trying to thrash out their differences," he said. The CNS has no preconceived ideas on the new constitution and only wants the new rules to overcome previous political flaws, he said. He dismissed speculation that the CNS was trying to push for the installation of a non-elected prime minister to maintain its grip on power. "The CNS chairman [General Sonthi Boonyatratglin] clearly said he had no opinion on whether there should be an elected or non-elected prime minister," he said. He spoke at a military seminar organised to keep 120 senior officers informed on the progress of the constitution drafting. The seminar took place in Pattaya and its panellists include Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Prasong Soonsiri. Prasong said he expected the first draft to complete by April 19. The draft will be published and released in all 76 provinces to solicit the people's opinions to refine the second and final draft due for completion in July, he said. - The Nation
|
