Industry Ministry in graft spotlight again
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Widely seen as the most corrupt area of Myanmar's government, the Industry Ministry has been hit by fresh allegations of large-scale graft.
Former industry minister Aye Myint has been forced to defend himself against accusations he handed publicly owned factories to private businesses at lower-than-market prices during his tenure.
Aye Myint, who was recently transferred to the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, was speaking at a Saturday press conference on the Dawei Deep Sea Port Project.
The ministry has privatised 70 of its 144 factories but is facing criticism for having sold some factories at much lower than the market price.
“I did nothing secretly during my term. I invited open tenders. We also had tender assessment groups. We handed over the factories to those who could pay the most under the bidding system,” Aye Myint said.
Under the previous military-junta government, there were two industry ministries, headed separately by Aung Thaung and Major General Hla Myint Swe. When this government took office on March 30, 2011, Soe Thein – now presidential office minister – took over both ministries.
Aye Myint took charge soon after when the two ministries were merged into one industry ministry.
Aye Myint said that he took all responsibility for the privatisation of the factories, as it was done in a transparent manner. But he said he could not take responsibility for the processes implemented during the tenure of his predecessors.
“I did everything in a transparent way. I put advertisements in newspapers. [You] can ask officials from the ministry sitting here. Others even said the prices were high. But I cannot vouch for the processes in place before my time. I had the contracts and agreements.
Though I made contracts according to market prices in my time, I could do nothing to amend certain contracts that are still valid but were signed before my tenure,” said Aye Myint.
The latest Cabinet reshuffle saw Aye Myint replaced as industry minister by Maung Myint, previously the minister for labour, employment and social security.
Myanmar’s Privatisation Commission has privatised a large number of state-owned factories but released no details about who bought them or what prices they paid.
