NA deputies discuss their responsibilities

Deputies of the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed at their 27th working session yesterday that the position of NA delegations should be made clear so that members could actively fulfill their roles in making laws and receiving inquiries from local voters.

According to a new regulation in the draft amended Law on National Assembly Organisation, the public can attend public working sessions of the NA. However, some deputies said that people should only observe these sessions to ensure order and quality.

"We need to look at the structure of the council again to ensure it is the voice of all ethnic minorities, and we also need to increase the number of ethnic minority deputies in People's Councils," said Ksor Phuoc, chairman of the NA Council of Ethnic Affairs

Regarding the structure of the Council of Ethnic Affairs, some deputies suggested that all or most members of the council must be full-time deputies. "We need to look at the structure of the council again to ensure it is the voice of all ethnic minorities, and we also need to increase the number of ethnic minority deputies in People's Councils," said Ksor Phuoc, chairman of the NA Council of Ethnic Affairs.

He also suggested that the council be allowed to examine all ethnic affairs policies and relevant projects.

Deputies also discussed the regulation on the number of full-time deputies. Some deputies said the number of deputies should be increased to 45 or 50 per cent of NA deputies. Yet the draft committee asked for the number to be kept at 35 per cent to ensure the quality of these deputies' activities.

Regarding the title of the Chairman of the National Assembly Office, some deputies said it should be replaced by the title "General Secretary of the National Assembly Office" and the Vice-chairman's title be replaced with "Member of the NA Secretariat".

Public security law

As the NA Standing Committee's 27th session began its second day, comments focused on revisions to the draft public security law.

Members were interested in regulations governing public security officers, particularly at lower levels, and the hierarchy of their agencies.

They discussed which positions should be prioritised for active duty if combat situations should arrive, adding that order and promotion procedures should follow the constitution.

Participants also debated the legal status of commune-level public security forces and vowed to create favourable legal conditions for them to fulfill their tasks.

Addressing the meeting, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said the bill should ensure the unity of legal documents, meet the demands of national security and defence and maintain the country's social safety.

He also noted that all relevant agencies must review communal public security guidelines and said the law should explain that ceiling ranks would be enforced for each position.

The Standing Committee will give its comments on the revised law to officers of the people's army today.