Myanmar's Upper House of the Parliament has approved a bill giving Aung Sang Suu Kyi a special advisory role in the new civilian government.

The bill calls for the appointment of a state consultative figure. However, military lawmakers said the bill was unconstitutional, and raised fears that the appointment would place the adviser on the same level as the president.

The bill still needs to be approved by the Lower House, and then by the combined parliament, before it can be signed into law by the new president. Suu Kyi is the chairperson of the National League for Democracy, the ruling party in parliament. She has also been appointed the minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, Energy and the President's Office.