THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
(Wednesday, 25 August 1998)
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(1) Accelerated privatization process of State-owned industries urged
YANGON, 24 Aug - The Union of Myanmar Privatization Commission held its Meeting No 3/98 at the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Ministry of Defence, at 10.30 am today and Chairman of the Commission Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt delivered an address.
Director-General of the Project Appraisal and Progress Reporting Department U Ohn Lwin emceed the meeting.
In his address, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said arrangements are being made to privatize State-owned industries after formation of the Privatization Commission. He spoke of the need to expedite work.
The Secretary-1 recalled that Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe has given guidance that State owned industries be privatized and efforts should be made to enable the private sector to run the industries on self-reliance, boost commodity production of the State and strive for its progress. He said measures have to be taken in accordance with the Senior General's guidance.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said there would be national progress only after achieving success in the private sector.
He pointed out that the government has transferred Insein Steel Mill to the national entrepreneurs to enable the private sector to run heavy industries, in accordance with the guidance of the Senior General. He said work is under way to keep the mill in operation.
He pointed out that it is also necessary to privatize State-owned small mills and factories under-various ministries. In so doing, he said, government employees of the respective mills and factories should be given opportunities to have shares in them.
He noted that by providing national entrepreneurs with greater opportunities productivity of the State would be enhanced and imports reduced in the long run. Moreover, he said, there will be benefits like expansion of businesses and creation of jobs.
He called on the ministries to discuss privatization of industries under the respective ministries to be able to implement the projects speedily.
Also present at the meeting were Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister for Commerce Maj-Gen Kyaw Than, Minister at the Office of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman Brig-Gen Abel, Minister for Cooperatives U Aung San, Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung, Minister for Transport Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, Attorney-General U Tha Tun, Acting Auditor-General Brig-Gen Tin Aye, Deputy Minister for Industry-1 Brig-Gen Thein Tun, Deputy Minister for NPED Brig-Gen Zaw Tun, Deputy Minister at the Office of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman U Set Maung, Deputy Minister for Forestry Brig-Gen Soe Myint, Director-General of the State Peace and Development Council Office Lt-Col Pe Nyein, heads of department and officials.
The meeting approved the minutes of the Commission's meeting No 2/98.
The master of ceremonies reported on the work done in correction with the resolutions passed at the previous meeting.
Afterwards, the ministers, deputy ministers and heads of department reported on industries already privatized and proposed industries. Chairman of the Commission Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and Commission members discussed points raised.
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(2) Chairman of MIC receives President of Hiroshima Bank Ltd
YANGON, 24 Aug - Deputy Prime Minister Chairman of Myanmar Investment Commission Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin received President of the Hiroshima Bank Ltd Mr Makoto Uda and party at his office this afternoon.
Present also were Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission Brig-Gen Maung Maung and officials of the commission office, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and Myanma Foreign Trade Bank.
They discussed investment prospects and opportunities in Myanmar.
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(3) NLD CEC members told to avoid acts which will harm stability, peace and rule of law
YANGON, 24 Aug - Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing received Central Executive Committee members of the National League for Democracy U Than Tun and U Soe Myint in the meeting hall of the Office of the Ministers on Theinbyu Road at 1 pm today.
Also present together with the Minister for Home Affairs were Deputy Chief of the Office of Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Defence Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, Head of Department of OSS Col Than Tun, Director-General of Myanmar Police Force Police Maj-Gen Soe Win and Commander of Special Investigation Department Col Ba Hein.
The minister told them to avoid acts which will undermine stability and peace and the rule of law in the country.
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(4) Third Seminar on Export Market Development commences
YANGON, 24 Aug - The opening ceremony of the third Seminal on Export Market Development jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and Singapore Trade Development Board was held in the meeting hall of the Ministry of Commerce this morning with an address by Minister for Commerce Maj-Gen Kyaw Than.
Present also were Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission Brig-Gen Maung Maung, Deputy Minister for Industry-2 U Thein Tun, advisers to the Ministry of Commerce, department heads, Ambassador of Singapore Brig Patrick Choy Choong Tow, instructors and officials of STDB, trainees of the ministries concerned and private enterprises and guests.
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(5) Construction of new buildings at Mandalay University in progress
YANGON, 24 Aug - Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun yesterday inspected construction of new buildings at Mandalay University undertaken by the Public Works.
Senior Engineer U Thein Kyaw briefed him on accomplishments.
The minister spoke of the need to construct the buildings in accord with the required standards and to transfer completed buildings to the respective ministry.
Accompanied by officials, he inspected completed western sector of the four-storey main lecturer hall.
At 300-bed hospital construction project, he heard a report on accomplishments and future programmes presented by Senior Engineer Daw Thein Thein Sein.
The minister stressed the need to transfer the completed wards to the respective ministries as soon as possible.
He inspected completed buildings and buildings under construction.
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(6) Border tourism development discussed
YANGON, 24 Aug - The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism sponsored a meeting to discuss border tourism development in Mongla-Kengtung-Tachilek region in eastern Shan State at the ministry this morning.
Minister for Hotels and tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin said plans should be made to attract nearly 400,000 vacationers visiting Mongla area annually to Taunggyi, Mandalay, Bagan and Yangon thorough Kengtung tourist destination to help promote tourism industry and national economy and for the public interest.
Means should be sought with the respective departments to ensure smooth transport, he said, stressing the need to implement the programme in the coming open season.
Participants presented plans sector-wise.
Deputy Minister for H&T Brig-Gen Aye Myint Kyu, Director-General of Directorate of Hotels and Tourism U Khin Maung Latt, departmental personnel and entrepreneurs of Mongla-Kengtung tourist destination were also present.
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YANGON, 24 Aug - A Thai delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Mr Sukhumbhand Paribatra arrived here this morning.
The delegation was welcomed by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyunt Swe, Ambassador of Thailand Mr Pensak Chalarak, officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Royal Thai Embassy.
Delegation members Director-General of East Asian Affairs Department Mr Virasakdi Futrakul and Director-General of Treaties and Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Mr Vasin Teeravechyan arrived in advance yesterday.
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(8) Contact lost with aircraft on Yangon Tachilek flight
YANGON. 24 Aug - Contact with a Fokker aircraft XY-AEN which left Yangon International Airport this morning for Tachilek was lost.
The passenger aircraft of Myanma Airways of the ministry of Transport with over 20 passengers on board left Yangon at 6.40 am today for Tachilek on UB 635 flight At about 8.30 am the aircraft reached Tachilek airspace 10,000 feet above the airport and it reported to the airport control tower that it could not land due to bad weather as it was raining in the area and turned back to Heho Airport Soon after-wards contact was lost with the aircraft.
Responsible personnel of the Ministry of Transport and the Tatmadaw (Air) are Searching for the aircraft with the help of aircraft and helicopters.
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(9) Seminar on Interaction between Japanese RIPS study mission and Myanmar-ISIS held
YANGON, 24 Aug - Seminar on the Interaction between the five-member study mission from Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS), Japan, and Myanmar institute of Strategic and Industrial Studies (Myanmar-ISIS) was held at the conference room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning.
Member of Myanmar-ISIS Director-General of ASEAN Affairs Department of the ministry U Aye Lwin delivered a welcoming address.
Project Director of RIPS Prof Seki Tomoda of Keio University gave introductory remarks and briefed the participants on the purpose of the study mission.
Officials of Myanmar ISIS of the ministry, Office of Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Defence, National AFTA Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry-1, the Ministry of Industry-2, Institute of Economics and Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also present.
During the course of the seminar, discussions revolved around "Integration of Myanmar into ASEAN".
Myanmar and Japanese sides also exchanged views on the issue.
The visiting mission includes Prof Mr Seki Tomoda, Prof Mr Masahiko Ebashi of Meiji Gakuin University, Prof Mr Minoru Kiryu of Osaka Sanyo University, Prof Mr Mashi Nishihara of National Defence Academy and Attendant Researcher Ms Amiko Nobori of RIPS.
After the seminar, the mission paid a courtesy call on Chairman of Myanmar ISIS Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw.
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YANGON, 24 Aug - Capt Aung Myint (Retired), Daw Than Than Myint and family of Dagon Township presented hospital equipment worth K 100,000 to Military Hospital 2 this afternoon.
The donors presented the gifts to Commandant Col Min Naing at the hospital.
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