U Maung Weik bribed a Patek Philippe watch to former Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein during the National League for Democracy (NLD) government era and the situation is considered as injustice to Eleven Media Group, said U Kyaw Myo Min, editor-in-chief of NP News Myanmar.
On the KComedy program of NP News broadcasted on August 14, U Kyaw Myo Min made the following comments regarding the arrest of Eleven Media Group officials under the previous government in connection with the criticism of the arrest of four family members who owned a stationery shop in Mandalay for supplying PDFs in Mandalay in the past few days.
U Kyaw Myo Min, editor-in-chief of NP News Myanmar, said, "Even under the democratic government of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, if we want to write about it, we would be put in jail under Article 66 (d). You just look at Dr Than Htut Aung case. Even staff from a news agency that reports correctly is thrown in jail. This is the biggest crime committed by U Phyo Min Thein. I don't talk about small things. There are many small ones. I am telling about the big one which I can see. Dr. Than Htut Aung writes about U Phyo Min Thein's Patek Philippe watch. He wrote that U Phyo Min Thein got a Patek Philippe as a gift from a businessman. That is what the state will take action on him. If this kind of bribery and corruption has been committed by state leaders and prime ministers, without exposing the case and taking action, the chief minister himself shows a watch and this is not a Patek Philippe. After showing it as his old one and held a press conference, Dr. Than Htut Aung was immediately arrested, prosecuted, and not even bailed out. He can't even get bail. In fact, they should welcome the media that writes like that. He can clarify that it’s not true. But he showed a fake watch at a press conference and filed a lawsuit. What happens when he sue them? Of course, Dr. Than Htut Aung and his team were going to jail. There is more. He even sued Phyo Wai and Nayi Min. He twice sued the EMG. That's why even one of the country's biggest name media was handled like this during the time of U Phyo Min Thein and the NLD government era. So what I want to say is that they did this even to the official media the NLD government era. At that time, he really gave the watch to U Phyo Min Thein. U Phyo Min Thein did not return that watch. The person who gave it was U Maung Weik. U Maung Weik gave it to him. U Maung Weik bought three Patek Philippe watches. One is given to U Phyo Min Thein. I don't know if other two are being sold or not. Let it be. I heard it was three. At that time, he gave one to U Phyo Min Thein. That's clear. But when it actually happened, U Maung Weik stopped testifying. He refrained from the case. At that time, U Maung Weik had been granted large projects by U Phyo Min Thein. He has big projects like this, and if he gives testimony against U Phyo Min Thein in this case, his projects will be cancelled. So he didn’t give testimony. Now, he acted as a state witness in SAC’s government era and he was acquitted. That's what people are talking about. That's why he is rich. What I want to say is that these things were done during the NLD government era. Is it fair or not? If you say it's unfair, you can say it's unfair. We can say that the EMG's case is unfair. But in EMG's case, the NLD supporters just put it in as if they want to oppress the EMG. What I want to say is that when they had the power in their own hands, they did what they thought. Even a democratic government did like this. This is the current state of emergency declared by the military government. When you are dealing with violence (stationery shop case in Mandalay) when you are under emergency rule, the EMG case is not related to violence. Arresting people who are connected to terrorism and arresting people who are connected to terrorism will be punished under the terrorism law," he said.
In a 2016 edition of the Daily Eleven newspaper, an editorial titled 'One year after the election', the news that spread on social media that a chief minister with only seven months in office and a salary of only about US$2,500, wearing a Patek Philippe watch worth about US$100,000, made many citizens who earn at least US$2.5 a day unhappy. The person who gave the gift was a tycoon who was recently released from prison in a drug case and who won a tender for a new city project during the transition of the government. A businessman who is close to me and always wears a Patek Philippe watch is unable to confirm who gave U Phyo Min Thein the watch, but he said that the chief minister wore the watch both times when he met the chief minister. Regarding the publication, the NLD government at the time did not investigate and take any action, but the Yangon Region Government, led by U Phyo Min Thein, sent a letter to Eleven Media Group asking to know the identity of the businessman who gave such a gift.
Then, on November 8, Eleven Media Group clarified to the news media that no one was referred to in the editorial and that it was written according to the responsibility of the news media.
After clarifying this, the Yangon Region government prepared to file a lawsuit against Eleven Media Group. U Phyo Min Thein held a press conference on November 9. He clarified that he did not know about the watch and that the watch he is wearing now is a watch that his wife bought him before he became the chief minister.
Similarly, tycoon U Maung Weik held a press conference on November 10 and clarified that he didn’t give a watch as a present to any minister.
On November 10, Yangon Region Government filed a lawsuit against Eleven Media Group under the Section 66 (d) of Telecommunications law. CEO of Eleven Media Group Dr Than Htut Aung and Chief Editor U Wai Phyo went to Tamwe Township Police Station and faced the charges.
During the trail, U Maung Weik didn’t appear at the court. A bail was requested according to the health condition of Dr Than Htut Aung, the court denied his bail. Dr Than Htut Aung was given pressure to make an apology and later, he was granted bail.
Concerning the facts included in the economic article written by the then chief reporter U Phyo Wai Win published in October 8, 2018 issued Weekly Eleven News journal, Yangon Region Government led by U Phyo Min Thein filed a lawsuit under Section 505 (b) on October 9, 2018 and arrested chief editors U Kyaw Zaw Lin, Dr Min Lwin (Nayi Min), chief reporter U Phyo Wai Win on October 10.
The article was written based on the facts that these were discussed in the parliament and according to News Media Law, there were no prior discussion made to Myanmar Press Council. Therefore criticisms occurred and the court gave bail to three journalists on October 26. Under the instruction of the President Office, the case was withdrawn on November 9.
A journalist, who knew the case of U Phyo Min Thein’s watch sent an information to Eleven Media Group. He said that he have audio file of a conversation with the person who bought back the Patek Philippe watch from U Phyo Min Thein for 80 million kyats and pictures of the watch. I believe that the audio files and pictures from me will help to rebuild the reputation of Eleven Media Group. If this is reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (AAC), they will get new evidence.
After the military takeover on February 1, 2021, former president, state counsellor, union ministers, some deputy ministers, former region and state chief ministers, and ministers who served under NLD administration were arrested and put to prisons under various charges but no one knew which action was taken to U Phyo Min Thein. Only at the press conference held on March 23, 2021, by State Administration Council, a video file of U Phyo Min Thein confessing that he gave US$ 600,000 and 7 visses of gold in bribes when he served as a Yangon Region chief minister. Among the corruption charges filed against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who was served prison term, another corruption charge was added by U Phyo Min Thein’s confession.
At the press briefing held on June 12, 2021 by the SAC, EMG raised a question. EMG said that it had noticed some high ranking government officials including state counsellor were filed charges under corruption law and these were due to U Phyo Min Thein’s confession. Therefore, what action will be taken to those gave bribes or will they be free from taken action, EMG asked. Leader of the Information Team of SAC Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said there is no one above the law and it will be done according to the law.
According to the SAC, a total of 13 people including former president U Win Myint, former state counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and former chief ministers were taken action except from former Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein. It said estimated value of 123.7 billion kyats, more than US$ 4.6 million and 7 visses of gold and Baht 350,000 were loss from the State’s budget.
There are many notorious projects of U Phyo Min Thein which are still left to taken action by the SAC. Among these projects, land plots given to YP fuel filling stations are one of them.
Concerning the land plots given to YP fuel stations, former Yangon Region minister U Han Htun, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe, former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, former secretary of municipal committee Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, former joint secretary of the committee U Than and company director U Zin Min Aung were charged on May 26, 2022. But criticisms appeared as U Phyo Min Thein, the most responsible person of the case, was excluded from the charges.
Similarly, the SAC has taken action to former Yangon chief minister U Hla Soe, former Yangon Region economic affairs minister U Aung Than Oo, former secretary of Yangon Region government U Soe Soe Zaw were filed a lawsuit on June 14, 2022 by the ACC concerning land plot issues in Yangon Region. It was the very first case taken action during the SAC administration concerning land plot issues in Yangon Region.
The SAC has taken action to former Yangon chief minister U Hla Soe under corruption charges, it is still unknown what action has taken to U Phyo Min Thein.
On June 16, 2022 news briefing held by the SAC, ministers and staff under U Phyo Min Thein were taken action for land plot issues for YP fuel stations except policy maker U Phyo Min Thein. Because of him, the State stands to lose around billions of kyats while the rest of chief ministers from State and Region may lose around 100 billion kyats. He is the sole man to take action and whether it may politically motivate or not, if there’s any investigation to be made concerning his possession and will there be any statement to be made about the findings of the investigation. Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said that according to the findings of the anti-corruption commission, decision will be made justly.
Currently, former Yangon Chief Minister U Hla Soe who served under the SAC and prosecuted under the anti-corruption law, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on December 8 of 2022. In addition, U Aung Than Oo, the former Minister of Economic Affairs of Yangon Region who was prosecuted along with U Hla Soe, was also sentenced to 20 years in prison, and former Yangon Region Government Secretary U Soe Soe Zaw was sentenced to six years in prison. However, Aung Than Oo had died at Insein Public Hospital while he was undergoing medical treatment as a prisoner.
At the time of the SAC government, totaling 22 persons including six high ranking officers, two officials who served under the SAC, eight officers and six other persons were sentenced for bribery cases.
Among 274 persons, including 38 union ministers, 71 deputy ministers and 165 persons who were chief ministers from relevant states and regions as well as regional level ministers who had served under the former NLD government, totaling 60 officers including six union ministers, 11 deputy ministers and 43 chief ministers from states and regions as well as regional level ministers had been taken actions against the anti-corruption law. According to the percentage of those who served under the NLD government and those who have been prosecuted, it is 21.90 percent.
The SAC took actions against those who served under the former NLD government for corruption for causing loss of state funds. Among bribery cases, in taking action against former Yangon Region Chief Minister U Hla Soe, the loss of state funds was 38,000 million kyats (38 billion kyats) and a case of a bribery of 250 million kyats.
In compared with the case of U Hla Soe in which the amount of the loss of state funds and the loss of state funds from U Phyo Min Thein's famously corrupt projects, the losses caused by U Phyo Min Thein are hundreds of thousands of times greater than U Hla Soe's.
During the reign of former Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, who was famous for his loss of state funds and corruption, there were tens of thousands of complaints to the Anti-Corruption Commission regarding corruption-related issues related to the actions of the Yangon Region government. The connection with corruption can be from tens to hundreds of billions of kyats, and this amount is much more than the calculated value of the loss of national funds in the corruption cases of 13 other state and regional Chief Ministers, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Most of those who served under the NLD government have been sentenced to prison terms in cases of corruption, and among the cases where Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself was sentenced to prison for bribery is the case in which she accepted US$600,000 and seven visses of gold given by U Phyo Min Thein.
Due to U Phyo Min Thein's actions, the financial loss is far greater than the loss of the national treasury in the corruption cases against those who were in charge during the NLD government.
As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Dr Zaw Myint Maung who was former Mandalay Region Chief Minister were sentenced for accusing in concerned with US dollar donations being carried out by Sae Paing Company Owner U Maung Weik who possessed many businesses in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, there may be bribery interdependence between U Maung Weik and U Phyo Min Thein.
Concerning bribery cases, the international countries had announced blacklist of businesses and companies which had bribed the government heads. In the case of Sae Paing Company Owner U Maung Weik, he confessed to committing the bribery to the government leaders for his businesses. So, the case wasn’t concerned the anti-corruption commission and it just concerned only the government. The critics raised questions as it had been reported that how the government will control the future bribery cases.
Section 63 of anti-corruption law stated that if any person is convicted and persuaded for corruption, he or she may be sentenced.
The cases of U Phyo Min Thein's loss of state funds are already known to the public, which has led to many questions about the anti-corruption commission's actions regarding U Phyo Min Thein's case.
The SAC took actions against those who served under the SAC and former NLD government for committing bribery cases. However, the actions against bribery cases were investigated than the complaints.
Deputy Minister Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun who is the leader of SAC’s Information Team told the BBC news agency that there had been a case of fine for U Phyo Min Thein concerning the election issue.
When no one knew that the SAC took actions against U Maung Weik for bribery case, Facebook of Sae Paing Company wrote that its owner U Maung Weik returned home on June 29.
The State owned media showed that U Maung Weik also attended the clarification on construction of building Maravijaya Buddha Image and donated cash to the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on the morning of June 29.
U Phyo Min Thein who was prominent in the bribery cases under the NLD government only had been fined 100,000 kyats for an offence related to exerting influence on the respective election commission during the 2020 general election. The former NLD government didn’t take actions against U Phyo Min Thein’s bribery cases as well as the SAC didn’t take actions against his bribery cases and his possessions for an offence related to exerting influence on the UEC. After February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw detained U Phyo Min Thein at the Tatmadaw Yeiktha. Now, U Phyo Min Thein is reportedly staying at his house in Yangon.
