Civil society organizations in Mon State filed complaints against the Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan and a fellow minister to the Anti-Corruption Commission (Yangon branch) on June 18. They requested that the commission investigate the chief minister and his fellow minister for violating the tender bid and/or finance rules and regulations in granting a one billion kyat road project to a private company without holding tender.
“Per the question by Dr. Aung Naing Oo, Hluttaw representative of Chaungzone Township at the last Mon State Hluttaw conference, the responses by the Chief inister and another minister from the Mon State Government Group, are against the rules of procedure. Also, it [the complaint] is in line with the anti-corruption law. So, we submit this complaint,” said U Aung Naing Win, chief editor of Taw Win News, based in Ye Township.
U Aung Naing Win continued that per the 6 month budget report from April to September, 2018, the new road [tar] construction project connecting Aungthabya to Hnin Kayin, in Ye Township, was implemented with union money without calling for tender. The Mon State Government Group under the leadership of the Chief Minister granted one billion kyat to a company with close ties to the Chief Minister.
The CSOs also reported a separate case to the anti-corruption commission regarding a new garbage shredder at Kyaikhtiyo pagoda. A tender was called for the project, but the tender was not carried out in accordance with the rules and regulations.
“We are not targeting anyone. We think this matter is not in accordance with the democratic standards as we are in a period of implementing democratic mechanisms and a democratic system. The government should not be able to side-step the rules and regulations and then be permitted to carry out the project. When we see problems, we have to identify them and find out why it’s not right, and such cases should be undertaken and solved precisely. So, regarding this matter, as necessary, inspections must be made and disciplinary actions must be taken. That is why we submitted the complaint to the anti corruption commission,” said U Aung Naing Win.
The one billion kyat road project was awarded to a company after Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan wrongly informed the Mon State Government Group at a Hluttaw meeting that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi informally endorsed the project. The Chief Minister later admitted at a meeting in Naypyitaw that he had in fact misinformed the Mon State Government Group.
In addition, MP U Min Htin Aung Han, former minister for electric power, energy and industry, had also explained to the reporters that Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan made the decision not to call for tender, and said that the chief minister would take responsibility if there were any problems that came up.
