Mon State elected 466 new ward/village tract administrators last year. However, five administrators from across four townships now face legal action, according to U Myint Than Win, the director of the Mon State Government Group.
The five administrators accused of breaking the law are (1) U Thant Zin, the administrator of Zayit Chaung Village Tract, Thaton Township; (2) U San Aung, Administrator of Ah-nin Village Tract, Thanbyuzayat Township; (3) U Ngwe Tun, Administrator of Kyauktan Ward, Mawlamyine Township; (4) Daw Mi Than Htay, Administrator of Tarana Village Tract, Kyaikmayaw Township; and (5) U Kyin Thein, administrator of KyaikParon Village Tract, Kyaikmayaw Township.
The allegations against them range from a failure to report information to the government department to bribery and corruption. In some cases, officials failed to report cases to the government department and took matters into their own hands. One official failed to report and take action against a foreigner staying the village illegally. Other officials built worker housing on land allocated for schools without government permission, and developed residential housing on land allocated for a health clinic. Another took bribes from a rubber plantation sale.
In some places, people contested the removal of the Administrators. Daw Mi Thant Htay, the female administrator of Tarana Village Tract, Kyaikmayaw Township, was initially discharged from her post in April, 2018. However the decision outlined in section (8) of Mon State’s meeting No. (14/2018) on June 6, 2018 reinstated Daw Mi Thant Htay as the Tarana Village Tract Administrator.
In Kyauktan Ward, Mawlamyine Township, U Ngwe Tun was set to become the administrator after winning the election. U Ngwe Tun received 481 votes, defeating U Aye San, who received 420 votes. However due to allegations of illegal activity, U Ngwe Tun’s appointment was denied. The runner-up, U Aye San was appointed instead. Some claim the allegations against U Ngwe Tun are unfounded.
“U Ngwe Tun was denied the victory, but no one could prove U Ngwe Tun did anything wrong. The Township authority directed to re-elect. The locals do not accept [the Township authority’s decision] because U Ngwe Tun did not do anything wrong” said U Soe Thaung, of Kyauktan Ward.
Over 560 people from Kyaungtan Ward signed a letter in support of U Ngwe Tun. The letter expressed their opposition to the government’s decision to reject the election results and deny U Ngwe Tun the Administrator position. The complaint letter was submitted to the Mon State Government in September, 2018. However, According to U Soe Thaung: “The Mon State Government did not listen to the public’s voice.”
In accordance with the Ward/Village Tract Law’s Third Amendment of 2016, 472 administrators of wards/village tracts were re-elected in Mon State. Of the elected administrators, there were 204 administrators who took office in Thaton District, and 262 in Mawlamyine District, giving a total of 466 administrators who’s election was finalized. Re-election for the administrator positions in four wards in Theinyazat Town, Kyaikhto Township and Thonkwa Village Tract are under review. Due to the situation in the area, the election for the administrators for BawNawKee Village Tract, Bilin Township, has no yet been conducted.
During his recent trip to Mon State, the President U Win Myint, received 79 complaint letters. Among the complaint letters were allegations of ward/village tract administrators’ corruption. The villagers urged the President to take action against such administrators.
