A controversial budget of K16 billion first earmarked for buying a vessel plying to Coco Island and constructing the office of Yangon Region Police Force and a court building will be spent on regional development tasks, said Minister for Planning and Finance Myint Thaung.

The minister made the remark in his clarification of the Yangon Region's budget for 2019-2020 fiscal year during a session of the regional parliament held on June 18.

The budget for the next fiscal year was submitted during an emergency meeting of the parliament held from June 11 to 13. The budget was debated by members of the parliament's Public Account Committee and members of parliament totalling 33. Their discussion was submitted to Region Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, said the minister.

"After the submission, K6 billion for a court, K5 billion for a new office of police force and K5 billion for a vessel totalling K16 billion were excluded from next year's budget. The money will be spent on regional development work," said Minister Myint Thaung.

The minister then requested the parliament to approve K16 budget to be spent on regional development.

Public Account Committee member Kyaw Zeya said: "Our committee is doing its job to spend the K16 billion under the category of regional development. We thank the media because the most responsible person of the finance commission found the issue after media reports."