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(1) Senior General Than Shwe bids Prime Minister Dr Mahathir farewell at conclusion of goodwill visit
YANGON, 10 Mar - Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad and Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Haji Mohamad Ali and goodwill delegation, which was on a goodwill visit to Myanmar at the invitation of Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing,-departed for home this evening by special flight.
Dr Mahathir and members of his goodwill delegation were seen off at Yangon Intentional Airport by Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing, Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and their wives, Deputy Prime Ministers Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and Lt-Gen Tin Tun and his wife, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Myanmar Ambassador to Malaysia U Saw Tun and their wives, Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet, Ambassador of Malaysia to Myanmar Dato Abdul Wahab bin Harun and wife and embassy staff.
At 3 pm, Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing visited Seinle Kantha State Guest House and met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah and delegation.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti and delegation, accompanied by Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing, left the Guest House and arrived Yangon Intentional Airport at 3.25 pm.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah and delegation bade farewell to General Maung Aye, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and their wives, Deputy Prime Ministers Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and Lt-Gen Tin Tun and his wife, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Myanmar Ambassador to Malaysia U Saw Tun and their wives, Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah again bade Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing farewell.
Along University Avenue from Seinle Kantha State Guest House and along the route to the airport, members of Union Solidarity and Development Association, teachers, students Red Cross and Auxiliary Fire Brigade members and the public exceeding 7,000 greeted the guests waving miniature flags of the two countries and chanting slogans of strengthening mutual friendship.
Students at the airport chanted best wishes for the well-being of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah and Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing and for further strengthening friendship between the two countries.
The special flight of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and delegation took off at 3.45 pm.
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(2) Dr Mahathir says situation in Myanmar has improved markedly after opening up (By Our Staff Reporter)
YANGON, 10 Mar - Wrapping up his visit to Myanmar as guest of State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe, Premier Dr Mahathir of Malaysia met the Press telling them he has seen marked improvement in Myanmar since his last visit in 1988 and since Myanmar switched to market economy.
Together with Dr Mahathir in the Toungoo Room of Traders Hotel where he earlier attended lunch hosted by the Malaysian business community, were Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Badawi, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Mr Kerk Choo Ting and the Malaysian Ambassador.
In reply to queries by newsmen, Dr Mahathir said common currencies of the ASEAN countries were being used as also that of other countries in the region, adding regional currencies were being favoured in trade.
He said he noticed only a couple of hotels during his 1988 visit and a large number today.
He said there are industrial establishments, foreign and local investments, all of which are the outcome of the market-oriented economy.
He said Malaysia wanted to invest more, but there are constraints due to financial crisis. Once there is recovery, there will be more investments.
Today, he said, there is more inclination to trade than to invest. When it comes to trade, he said, there is the question of what to buy, and he sees many possibilities. "The focus today is more on trade than investment," he said.
Regarding the ASEM meeting in London, he said those who attended the Bangkok meeting would be attending, and that the participants would be individual Asian countries, not ASEAN members.
Regarding a query quoting a passage from the New Light of Myanmar editorial, Dr Mahathir said he might not have used the same words but it had the same meaning.
He said Malaysia is not a super power but he believed many nations had the right to make their own decisions without outside pressure.
Going back to trade, he said a tally of imports and exports would have to be made. Today's bilateral trade is in Malaysia's favour.
The Press conference was attended by local newsmen and officials led by U Tin Kha, Managing Director of the News and Periodicals Enterprise, foreign correspondents led by FCC President U Sao Kai Hpa, Steven Brookes of Asia Times, Ted Bardacke of Financial Times and Malaysian media-men who accompanied the Prime Minister.
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(3) MIDC making good headway in its work
YANGON, 10 Mar - Patron of Myanma Industrial Development Committee Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo attended the meeting No 2/98 of Myanma Industrial Development Work Committee at the Ministry of Industry-2 this afternoon.
Present also were Chairman of MIDC Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, Chairman of Work Committee Minister for Industry-2 Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe, members of the Work Committee deputy ministers, directors-general, managing directors and officials.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo said MIDWC could take a crucial step, for it could hold the seminar on quality control of important industrial products within a short period, and noted various subcommittees need to continuously lay and effectively implement plans in accord with the guidance of the Work Committee.
He urged officials of various subcommittees to diligently carry out respective work with a view to ensuring sustainable development of industries in line with the motto given by Head of State Senior General Than Shwe.
He said the strategies of MIDC are to improve industries mainly based on domestic resources, ensure emergence of skilled workers, promote quality of domestic products with a view to arousing the interest of the people to use the products and reduce reliance on foreign assistance, and called on all to report their difficulties if any and to implement tasks energetically.
He noted necessary assistance and privilege are to be granted with a view to enabling local industrialists to carry out production work at full stretch.
He called for conducting courses to turn out technicians, assignment of the technicians at the respective sectors and imparting knowledge of production of wood-substitute fuel.
Minister U Thaung explained implementation of work for Myanma industrial development, advantages and disadvantages and arrangements to be carried out.
Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe reported on tasks carried out by the Work Committee.
Secretary of MIDWC Managing Director of Myanma Heavy Industries U Khin Maung reported on progress of work of the Work Committee and formation of two new committees.
Afterwards, those present reported on arrangements being carried out and to be carried out for Myanma industrial development.
Minister U Thaung and Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe gave necessary instructions.
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(4) Local and foreign direct dialing available in Haka, Kalay
YANGON, 10 Mar - Mandalay-Kalay-Haka digital microwave link was launched in Haka Township, China State, on 8 March.
Efforts were made for launching the link before the opening of the Eighth Students Sports Festival in Haka, said Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Win Tin.
The minister and Chairman of Chin State Peace and Development Council Col Ohn Thwin formally opened the microwave link, which was built by Myanma Posts and Telecommunications at a cost of $ 4.12 million and K 127.7 million.
MPT has invested $ 35 million in developing communication facilities of the entire region.
Haka and Kalay can now make direct dialing local and abroad.
Fifteen microwave stations were built in Mandalay, Sagaing, Myinmu, Shinmadaung, Myaingdaung, Ponnyataung, Pyanattaung, Gangaw, Kan, Helok, Kalay, Valon, Falam and Haka to complete the link.
The microwave link will enable athletes to the festival to dial back to their home conveniently, the minister added.
Col Ohn Thwin also spoke.
Brig-Gen Win Tin and Deputy Minister for Education Dr Than Nyunt formally opened Mandalay-Kalay link, which is included in Mandalay-Kalay-Haka digital microwave link, in Kalay on 7 March.
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(5) 100,000 amphetamine tablets seized in Hsenwi
YANGON, 10 Mar - A combined group comprising members of Defence Services Intelligence Unit of Hsenwi Township, Lashio Special Anti-Drug Squad and service personnel of Customs Department, acting on a tip-off, searched 500 plastic packets of W brand amphetamine numbering 100,000 tablets hidden in the fuel tank of a white van, 2Ka/8893, which was coming from Chinshwehaw to Lashio, at the hot spring checkpoint in Hsenwi Township on 7 March afternoon.
Action is being taken against driver Wai Soe, 31, son of U Pauk Kyan Tin, No 5 region of Ward-8, Lashio Township, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law.
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(6) $ 500 for Myanmar Medical Association
YANGON, 10 Mar - Professor U Khin Maung Lat of New York, the United States of America, donated US $ 500 for new building of Myanmar Medical Association at the premises this morning.
U Khin Maung Lat presented $ 500 to President of MMA Professor U Myo Myint.
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(7) Computer associations to be formed in April
YANGON, 10 Mar - Plans are under way to form Computer Experts Association and Computer Entrepreneurs Association in April 1998.
Computer experts and entrepreneurs may contact Institute of Computer Science and Technology (Yangon) or dial 660626 or contact ICST (Mandalay) or dial 37016.
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(8) Seminar on environment and natural resources development and conservation management held
YANGON, 10 Mar - A seminar on environment and natural resources development and conservation management sponsored by Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education was held at Yangon University Council Hall today.
It was attended by Minister for Education U Than Aung, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Deputy Minister for Forestry Col Thaik Tun, Deputy Minister for Education Dr Than Nyunt, Assistant United Nations Secretary-General Assistant Administrative Officer of UNDP Regional Director of Asia and the Pacific Region Bureau Dr Nay Dun, the Resident Representative of UNDP and officials, rectors of universities and institutes, the Deputy Director-General of Basic Education Department, faculty members and guests.
Dr Than Nyunt delivered an opening address.
Next, Dr Nay Dun explained environment and natural resources development and conservation management.
Those present put forward suggestions and Dr Nay Dun replied to the questions.
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(9) Dinner hosted for UDNR students
YANGON, 10 Mar - Chairman of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board and Central Management Committee U Maung Maung Gyi and wife hosted dinner for students of the University for Development of National Races on the lawns of the university at Ywathitkyi, Sagaing, on 8 March.
The dinner preliminary to the Seventh Convocation of the UDNR was also attended by Chairman of UDNR Council Commander of North-West Command Brig-Gen Soe Win and wife, UDNR Council members and teachers.
Brig-Gen Soe Win and U Maung Maung Gyi presented a flower basket and K 5,000 each to the students who entertained with traditional dances at the dinner.
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