Burma considers new foreign direct investment laws

Burma's parliament is discussing a reworked Foreign Investment Law today.

The key piece of economic legislation is part of a raft of reforms aimed at reshaping the nation.

But the investment law is a sensitive topic for local business owners in Burma who fear it could hand over too much power to multinational firms.

One of the key areas of change around the new law relates to land regulation. Until now, foreign investors have been allowed to lease government land in Burma for up to 30 years. That could now increase to 50 years.

Sumana Rajarethnam, a senior analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit, told the BBC's Asia Business Report there are many issue that the government of Burma, or Mayanmar as it's also known, needs to consider.