Mon state’s Thanbyuzayat township administrator U Kyaw Thu Ya told ward and village administrators to collect money for the 27th Southeast Asian Games, according to a village administrator who asked for anonymity. U Kyaw Thu Ya requested they collect 100,000 Kyats (US$103) from each locale for the games that will draw about 6,000 athletes from 11 countries to Burma from Dec. 11 to 22.
In addition, he asked them to each raise 300,000 kyat (US$308) from each area for the upcoming Mon state Prime Minister Cup football competition in Thanbyuzayat town, according to the same anonymous government source.
“Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) will offer SIM cards at a price of 1500 kyats (US$1.54) through a lottery system. We will take about six SIM cards from each village and wards in towns and sell them at an outside price of a hundred thousand (US$103) per card. We have agreed to do fundraising like that,” said the anonymous source.
Other recent fundraisers involving SIM cards intended for lotteries are now being investigated by Mon state authorities.
Dr. Aung Naing Oo, Hluttaw (Parliament) state elected representative for Chaungzone Township constituency, urged the Hluttaw chairman and regional government to investigate allegations of township authorities and local businesspersons using the SIM cards for their own gain. All those guilty of corruption should be punished, he said.
The phone cards allegedly being used for profit were 45 cards that were sold in the “black market” and 120 cards given out to businessmen. Additionally 30 cards were reportedly sold to raise money for a music competition in Chaungzone township, but less than a fourth of it was donated to the competition, Dr. Aung Naing Oo told other media.
Until quite recently the high prices of SIM cards were out of reach for reach for most. The prices have gone down but are still expensive. The government has tried to address this by offering lotteries across the country starting in late April. Whoever wins a card in the lotteries administered by township and ward authorities can buy it for a reduced rate of 1,500 kyats.
Aung Naing Oo said that if state authorities fail to address these allegations of corruption with the contested SIM cards he will take it to the Union Parliament.
On his Facebook page he wrote to have already met with the state administrator who said the case is being looked into. Aung Naing Oo was instructed to wait for these findings to be collected and presented to the state administration office before he proceeds with Union Parliament. The district office told him they will examine the information collected to determine if action will be taken against the accused.
Chaungzone township administrator U Aung Thein Htun sent a signed request to Moulmein district general administration department and district administration on Oct. 25 calling for a meeting with Aung Naing Oo about the allegations.
Aung Naing Oo wrote on his Facebook page that he met with the district administrator at the township administration office the next day.
“I answered everything that was asked and told the truth,” he wrote.
