Taninthayi Chief Minister, Three Company Officials Face Corruption Charges
Taninthayi Chief Minister, Three Company Officials Face Corruption Charges
The Global New Light of Myanmar, 11 Mar 2019
URL: http://www.globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/taninthayi-chief-minister-three-company-officials-face-corruption-charges/
The Anti-Corruption Commission formed an investigation team to look into a corruption complaint against the Chief Minister of Taninthayi Region, Dr. Lae Lae Maw. The team conducted its investigation in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, and Dawei from 4 to 6 February.
According to the investigation team’s report, the Taninthayi Region Government assigned F-22 Sunny Construction Co. Ltd the job of erecting the Thingyan central pavilion in April, 2016 and the task of clearing bushes at the Dawei University compound in November, 2016, along with the Dawei Airport compound, charging what was described as an unreasonable fee.
The Regional Government invited tenders on 15 December, 2016 for clearing bushes in the Dawei Airport compound and F-22 Sunny Construction Co. was awarded the K400 million contract through misuse of the Chief Minister’s authority. The act amounted to taking a bribe in favor of an organization, and depleted the Union’s budget, as the government paid a higher amount than the prevailing market price, the report stated.
According to the report, without observing the financial rules and directives of the Union Government, Chief Minister Dr. Lae Lae Maw allowed the Road Management Department of the region to draw a lump sum of K1.9 billion, which was used by U Tun Min, husband of the director of the department, to buy two plots of land, N1068 and 1070, under the name ‘U Myint Ho’. U Tun Min also ordered construction of a brick wall, at a cost of K14 million, and it was found that the fee was paid only after the investigation was opened, and the failure to pay the actual cost amounted to bribery, the report stated.
According to the investigation, the Chief Minister sold a two-storey house and compound owned by her family on Myeik-Dawei Road, Myoma Ward, Thayetchanung Township, to Global Grand Services (GGS) for K200 million, which was much higher than the actual price of K32 million. She gave permission to GGS to build a fish auction market in Thayetchaung, distribute power in Dawei District, and build a gymnasium in Dawei, a town hall in Palaw, four six-unit four-storey houses in Dawei and Myeik, and a Taninthayi Region guesthouse and staff quarters in Nay Pyi Taw, the report stated. U Thura Ohn, one of the buyers of the Chief Minister’s house, was the general manager of the GGS and also had business relations with it, the report stated. U Thura Ohn, along with two other officials from the company — U Thein Htwe and U Aung Myat — bought the property at a price that was six times higher than the market price. According to the report, a power distribution agreement in Dawei District, Taninthayi Region, was reached on 6 December, 2016. The agreement was signed by the secretary of the regional government on its behalf, and U Thein Htwe on behalf of GGS, the report stated.
Failure to implement the project, in accordance with the conditions of the agreement, amounted to violating rules and regulations, and GGS has failed to pay K8,000 million for its gas supply since 1 July, 2017, due to which the Union suffered losses, as the Ministry of Electricity and Energy had to bear the cost, the report added.
It was found that the Chief Minister, and U Thein Htwe, along with U Aung Myat of GGC Company, were involved in the corruption case, the report added.
According to the findings of the team, the Myoma Police Station in Dawei is preparing to file a lawsuit against Chief Minister Daw Lae Lae Maw under Section 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, and Managing Director U Thein Htwe, Director U Aung Myat, and U Thura Ohn under Sections 55/63 of the Anti-Corruption Law.
According to the investigation team’s report, the Taninthayi Region Government assigned F-22 Sunny Construction Co. Ltd the job of erecting the Thingyan central pavilion in April, 2016 and the task of clearing bushes at the Dawei University compound in November, 2016, along with the Dawei Airport compound, charging what was described as an unreasonable fee.
The Regional Government invited tenders on 15 December, 2016 for clearing bushes in the Dawei Airport compound and F-22 Sunny Construction Co. was awarded the K400 million contract through misuse of the Chief Minister’s authority. The act amounted to taking a bribe in favor of an organization, and depleted the Union’s budget, as the government paid a higher amount than the prevailing market price, the report stated.
According to the report, without observing the financial rules and directives of the Union Government, Chief Minister Dr. Lae Lae Maw allowed the Road Management Department of the region to draw a lump sum of K1.9 billion, which was used by U Tun Min, husband of the director of the department, to buy two plots of land, N1068 and 1070, under the name ‘U Myint Ho’. U Tun Min also ordered construction of a brick wall, at a cost of K14 million, and it was found that the fee was paid only after the investigation was opened, and the failure to pay the actual cost amounted to bribery, the report stated.
According to the investigation, the Chief Minister sold a two-storey house and compound owned by her family on Myeik-Dawei Road, Myoma Ward, Thayetchanung Township, to Global Grand Services (GGS) for K200 million, which was much higher than the actual price of K32 million. She gave permission to GGS to build a fish auction market in Thayetchaung, distribute power in Dawei District, and build a gymnasium in Dawei, a town hall in Palaw, four six-unit four-storey houses in Dawei and Myeik, and a Taninthayi Region guesthouse and staff quarters in Nay Pyi Taw, the report stated. U Thura Ohn, one of the buyers of the Chief Minister’s house, was the general manager of the GGS and also had business relations with it, the report stated. U Thura Ohn, along with two other officials from the company — U Thein Htwe and U Aung Myat — bought the property at a price that was six times higher than the market price. According to the report, a power distribution agreement in Dawei District, Taninthayi Region, was reached on 6 December, 2016. The agreement was signed by the secretary of the regional government on its behalf, and U Thein Htwe on behalf of GGS, the report stated.
Failure to implement the project, in accordance with the conditions of the agreement, amounted to violating rules and regulations, and GGS has failed to pay K8,000 million for its gas supply since 1 July, 2017, due to which the Union suffered losses, as the Ministry of Electricity and Energy had to bear the cost, the report added.
It was found that the Chief Minister, and U Thein Htwe, along with U Aung Myat of GGC Company, were involved in the corruption case, the report added.
According to the findings of the team, the Myoma Police Station in Dawei is preparing to file a lawsuit against Chief Minister Daw Lae Lae Maw under Section 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, and Managing Director U Thein Htwe, Director U Aung Myat, and U Thura Ohn under Sections 55/63 of the Anti-Corruption Law.