THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

(Monday, 26 January 1998)

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  1. State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to India
  2. State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Australia
  3. National level middle school pupils' extempore talks contest held in honour of Armed Forces Day
  4. Minister for Health receives Professor of Royal Surgical College
  5. Sales begin at Cooperative Fair (Mandalay)
  6. Prizes given away to outstanding students of Monastic Education School No 3
  7. Minister for Construction inspects Gonnyindan Bridge and Maubin Bridge Projects
  8. Bagan Cultural Museum nearing completion
  9. Minister for Transport inspects construction projects of Myanma Port Authority
  10. Minister visits plastic bag factory
  11. 1998 National Shooting C'ships conclude
  12. Thanlyin carbon dioxide plant distributing inputs to local industries
  13. Minister for Electric Power inspects work

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(1) State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to India

YANGON, 26 Jan - On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Republic Day of India, which falls on 26 January 1998, Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Kocheril Raman Narayanan, President of the Republic of India.

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(2) State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Australia

YANGON, 26 Jan - On the occasion of the anniversary of Australia Day, 26 January 1998, Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency the Honourable Sir William Deane, AC, KBE, Governor-General of Australia.

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(3) National level middle school pupils' extempore talks contest held in honour of Armed Forces Day

YANGON, 25 Jan - Chairman of the Leading Committee for Observance of the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief of Bureau of Special Operations Chief of Staff (Army) Lt-Gen Tin Oo attended the national level middle school pupils' extempore talks contest held in honour of the Armed Forces Day at Yangon Teachers Training Institute this morning.

Also present were Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint, Chairman of the Management Committee for Observance of the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day member of the State Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Deputy Minister for Culture U Soe Nyunt, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Chairman of the Subcommittee for Organizing Higher and Basic Education Level Literary Contests Deputy Minister for Education Brig-Gen Soe Win Maung, senior military officers, members of various committees and subcommittees, panel of judges and guests.

The contestants were seventh standard pupil Ma Hlaing Wint Yi of Falam Basic Education Middle School, Chin State, seventh standard pupil Maung Han Lin Maung of Phayagyigon BEMSs Mawlamyinegyun Township, Ayeyawady Division, seventh standard, pupil Maung Min Htet of Monywa BEMS 3, Sagaing Division, sixth standard pupil Maung Zaw Zaw Aung of Yamethin Myoma BEMS, Mandalay Division, seventh standard pupil Ma P Han Kyaw of Dawei Basic Education High School 4, Taninthayi Division, fifth standard pupil Ma Pwint Khine Zin of Sittway BEHS 1, Rakhine State, seventh standard pupil Maung Aung San of Mottama BEHS, Paung Township, Mon State, seventh standard pupil Ma Thaung Thaung Han of Bhamo BEHS 2, Kachin State, sixth standard pupil Ma May Thet Hnin of Lashio BEMS 5, Shan State, fifth standard pupil Ma Phyusin Myat Noe Wai of Ayoegon BEMS, Letpadan Township, Bago Division, seventh, Yin Moe Moe Tun of Loikaw BEHS 1, Kayah State, seventh standard pupil Ma Zarchi Phyo of Hpa-an BEHS 1, Kayin State, seventh standard pupil Ma Zar Zar Hline of Kaidawma BEMS, Myaing Township, Magway Division, seventh standard pupil Ma Nang Hsu Mon of Bahtoo BEHS, Yaksauk, Township, Shan State, seventh standard pupil Ma Zar Zar Myo of Zwehtaw BEMS, Thongwa Township, and sixth standard pupil Ma Yi Mon Aung of Kengtung BEHS 1, Shan State.

Lt-Gen Tin Oo presented gifts to the panel of judges headed by Professor U Kyaw Win of History Department of Yangon University and award to the first prize winner sixth standard pupil Ma May Thet Hnin of Lashio.

Lt-Gen Win Myint, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and deputy minister also presented awards to the second prize winner sixth standard Maung Zaw Zaw U Aung of Yamethin, the third prize winner Maung Min Htet of Monywa and consolation prize winners.

Afterwards, Lt-Gen Win Myint spoke at length on the duties of new generation students in building a peaceful, modern and developed nation.

Lt-Gen Tin Oo and officials had photo taken together with the contestant pupils and members of the panel of judges.

The first, second and third prize winners will also receive the awards presented by the Leading Committee and the Union Solidarity and Development Association at the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Ceremony in Yangon.

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(4) Minister for Health receives Professor of Royal Surgical College

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein received President of Royal Surgical College Professor AGD Maran and Mr R C Smith in Lawkanat Room of Karaweik Hall this evening.

They discussed organizing FRCS examination in Myanmar and progress of surgery.

Present also were Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo and officials.

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(5) Sales begin at Cooperative Fair (Mandalay)

YANGON, 25 Jan - Sales began at Cooperative Fair (Mandalay) for the first day at Thiri Mandala Market in Aungmyethazan Township yesterday.

Altogether 80,000 persons visited the fair and a total of K 1,642,000 was realized on the first day.

Fashion show and entertainment programmes of Fine Arts Department and Nan Myo Daw Anyein were presented to the audience.

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(6) Prizes given away to outstanding students of Monastic Education School No 3

YANGON, 25 Jan - A ceremony to give away prizes of Buddhist Culture, Facts for Life and excellent performance in education for 1996-97 academic year was held at Monastic Education School No 3, Ward-7, Dagon Myothit (East), Yangon East District, this afternoon.

Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa supplicated on matters relating to monastic education schools.

Present also were Director-General of the Department for Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana U Sann Lwin and officials, Head of office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs U Maung Maung Myint, township authorities, township education officer, head of Township Religious Affairs Department, Buddhist laity, donors, teachers and pupils.

World Missionary Sayadaw Agga Maha Saddhama Jotikadhaja Bhaddanta Panadipa administered the Five Precepts and delivered a sermon.

Maj-Gen Sein Htwa said the Ministry of Religious Affairs is providing assistance to monastic education schools, and expressed his belief that monastic education schools are making progress.

He spoke of the need for township authorities, township education officers and officials of Township Religious Affairs Department to provide close supervision and to see to it that monastic education schools are making progress.

He called on ward authorities, Buddhist lay devotees, religious associations, disciples and well-wishers to render all-round assistance.

Maj-Gen Sein Htwa and U Sann Lwin presented K 500,000 donated by the ministry and K 300,000 by the department for the school respectively.

They accepted cash donated by well-wishers.

Then, prizes of Buddhist Culture, Facts for Life and excellent performance in education were given away to pupils.

Gifts were presented to teachers.

The Monastic Education School No 3 has been opened for over five years, and at present admits altogether 286 pupils including 95 in the kindergarten, 60 in the first standard, 53 in the second standard, 53 in the third standard and 25 in the fourth standard.

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(7) Minister for Construction inspects Gonnyindan Bridge and Maubin Bridge Projects

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, accompanied by officials of Public Works, arrived at Maubin-Hsarmalauk Road at 9.30 am today.

The minister and party inspected construction of Maubin-Hsarmalauk Road with the use of Con-Aid.

Then, the minister and party went to construction site of Gonnyindan Bridge project on Maubin-Kyaiklat-Pyapon Road in Kyaiklat Township.

They were welcomed there by Pyapon District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Sein Maung, Deputy Superintending Engineer of Ayeyawady Division U Aung Myint, Senior Engineer of Construction Group No 4 U Ba Wan and officials.

On completion, the bridge will link Kyaiklat Township with Pyapon Township.

Senior Engineer U Ba Wan briefed the minister on arrangement for construction of the Bridge and location of the project site.

The minister gave instructions and inspected the chosen site for the construction of the bridge.

The minister and party proceeded to Maubin Bridge Project site at 1.30 pm today.

Then, he also inspected construction of approach road, tarring and concrete laying on main bridge construction of archway and central pandai for the opening ceremony

The Maubin Bridge will be opened on 10 February 1998 to hail the Union Day.

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(8) Bagan Cultural Museum nearing completion

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Culture U Win Sein inspected the project for preservation of cultural heritage and displaying of cultural objects in Bagan yesterday.

He inspected construction of Bagan Cultural Museum in the compound of the Archaeology Museum and collection and displaying of ancient cultural objects there.

Executive Engineer U Khin Maung Thein briefed him on progress of work in construction of the, museum, future plans and requirements.

Leader of the Ancient Cultural Object Displaying Group Deputy Director of Department of Archaeology Daw Nu Mya Zan also presented a report on collection of ancient cultural objects.

Later, the minister viewed the Bagan scenery painting on the wall of the museum, bronze statues of kings Anawrahta, Kyansittha, Alaungsithu and Kyaswa, the regalia, artifacts and ancient objects.

The new cultural museum was built beginning March 1995 and it is now nearly completed.

It is on 10.97-acre plot built at a cost of over K 1 billion with the aim of exhibiting Myanmar people's cultural heritage belonging to Bagan era.

The museum is to open soon.

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(9) Minister for Transport inspects construction projects of Myanma Port Authority

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Transport Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe arrived at wharf No 3 of Kyimyindine Central Fish Market this morning.

He was welcomed there by Deputy Minister for Transport Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint, Managing Director of Myanma Port Authority Col Thein Htay and officials.

First, the minister inspected the renovated wharf No 3 where Col Thein Htay and Chief Engineer U Khin Maung Zaw conducted him round the wharf.

The minister gave necessary instruction on renovation of wharf No 4 and No 5 and inspected wharf No 6 and Mann-Myanmar wharf, constructed by Mann-Myanmar Company.

He also inspected Kyimyindine Market bridge and Hlwasindan bridge and gave suggestions.

The minister and party proceeded to the Office of the Asia World Port Management Co Ltd at Wharf No 2.

Managing Director of Asia World Port Management Co U Tun Myint Naing briefed the minister on extension of wharf No 2 and construction of approach road of the wharf.

The minister looked into the requirements and proceeded to office of the inland Container Yard Project, constructed by Myanma Port Authority.

At the office, Chief Engineer U Khin Maung Zaw and U Tin Ohn briefed the minister on financial matters and starting the project and future programmes.

The minister urged them to strive for timely completion of the container yard project as scheduled and proper use of finance.

Officials briefed the minister on their activities.

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(10) Minister visits plastic bag factory

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Commerce Maj-Gen Kyaw Than and Deputy Minister Col Kyaw Shwe, together with officials, visited the plastic bag factory at Post Harvest Technology Department in Hlegu Town-ship yesterday afternoon.

General Manager of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading U Moe Paw and officials explained production process.

He called on employees to work at full stretch for the production of bags of high quality, saying that bags are essential for attractive packaging, which helps products sell in international market in making all-out efforts for export promotion.

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(11) 1998 National Shooting C'ships conclude

YANGON, 25 Jan - The finals of the 1998 National Shooting Championships were held at South Okkalapa Shooting Range today.

Chairman of Myanmar Olympic Committee Minister for Sport Brig-Gen Sein Win delivered an address and presented prizes to the winners.

Also present were General Secretary of Myanmar Olympic Committee Director-General of Sports and Physical Education Department Col Hla Myint Kyaw, Commandant of Defence Services General Hospital Col Tin Thein Lwin, EC member of Myanmar Shooting Federation Col Ba Su, Tatmadaw officers and officials.

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(12) Thanlyin carbon dioxide plant distributing inputs to local industries

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Energy Brig-Gen Lun Thi, accompanied by Managing Director of Myanma Petrochemical Enterprise Col Kyaw Shein, inspected the carbon dioxide plant in the compound of No 1 Oil Refinery, Thanlyin, this afternoon.

In producing the carbon dioxide in three forms-gas, liquid and dry ice the joint-venture factory of MPE and Air Liquide Industrial Services Ltd (ALIS) of Singapore is manufacturing 24 tons in liquid form and six tons dry ice per day.

The gas is widely used in soft drink and beer factories, fish and prawn cold storage, ice-cream factories and many other industries and factories.

At the plant, the minister was welcomed by officials of MPE and Managing Director of Myanmar Carbonix Co Ltd Mr Bruno Desies.

Col Kyaw Shein and Mr Bruno Desies briefed him.

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(13) Minister for Electric Power inspects work

YANGON, 25 Jan - Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut, accompanied by Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Maung Maung and officials of the Myanma Electric Power Enterprise, inspected changing of underground cable on Seikkantha Street in Kyauktada Township this evening.

Then, the minister met members of township and Ward Peace and Development Councils, wards-elders and officials at Ward 7 in Kyauktada Township.

He gave instructions to officials.

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