Tanintharyi Region Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Myint Maung was appointed as caretaker chief minister on Tuesday. His appointment comes after the arrest of the former Chief Minister Daw Lei Lei Maw on charges of corruption.
An Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) investigation found Daw Lei Lei Maw guilty of multiple cases of corruption since her appointment in 2016. The report included cases where she used government resources for construction on her personal property, and overcompensated private companies for government projects.
Most notably, she granted the company Global Grand Services (GGS) a variety of government contracts in exchange for their purchase of her home at an above-market price. The market value of her home was 32 million kyats ($21,000), but GGS purchased the home for 200 million kyats ($131,000 USD), according to the ACC report, as reported by The Irrawaddy.
In addition, GGS did not pay for the natural gas used in their projects, and was found to owe the Ministry of Electricity and Energy 8 billion kyats ($5.2 million).
Daw Lei Lei Maw has been charged under Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law. On Monday, the Dawei Court sentenced Daw Lei Lei Maw to Dawei Prison following two weeks of remand, according to a Tanintharyi Region MP, who requested to remain anonymous.
GGS Managing Director U Thein Htwe, Director U Aung Myat, and General Manager U Thura Ohn have also been charged under Article 63 of the Anti-Corruption Law.
At a press conference held at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Nay Pyi Taw, U Zaw Htay, the Ministry of State Counselor’s Office director, said the government would not tolerate any corruption.
President U Win Myint announced on Monday that Chief Minister Daw Lei Lei Maw was discharged from her post. According to the NLD, the party is planning to strip Daw Lei Lei Maw of her party membership.
The new Tanintharyi Region caretaker Chief Minister U Myint Maung serves as the representative of Kawthaung Township, Tanintharyi Region and is also the general secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Tanintharyi Region.
