The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced that six people, including former Yangon Region cabinet minister U Han Tun, former Mayor U Maung Maung Soe, former Deputy Mayor and former Secretary of the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), have been charged with corruption for allocating land to build fuel stations and causing to lose funds.
The commission said it had set up a commission of inquiry into the complaint made for the former officials of the YCDC.
According to the findings of the investigation team, former Yangon Region Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Energy U Han Tun, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe, former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, former secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo and former joint secretary U Than granted two land plots in Dagon Myothit Township to build fuel stations for a joint-venture with the regional government at a rate of 2,000 kyats per square foot instead of 20,000 kyats per square foot fixed by Internal Revenue Department to issue 60 year land lease grant in 2018 and 2019, which lost over 4.2 billion kyats for the state. Former Yangon Region Cabinet Minister U Han Tun, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe and former joint secretary U Than issued a 60-year land lease grant for more than 63 acres of land in Dagon Myothit Township in 2019 to open a petrol station under the name of a joint venture company with the Yangon Region government at a rate of 2,000 kyats per square foot instead of 100 million kyats per acre fixed by the Internal Revenue Department losing over 800 million kyats. In addition, the land owned by the joint venture was allowed to be transferred to the name of the board of directors of the company and he sold 63 acres of land to another private company for 6,570 million kyats, said the ACC in a statement.
The petrol station, which was previously a joint venture with the Yangon Region government, is a Yangon Petro (YP) fuel station, but a statement from the ACC did not mention the name the fuel station.
In addition, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe and former joint secretary U Than failed to comply with the requirements of the mining process regarding the coal production business joint venture between YCDC and a company in 2018-2019 FY and 2019-2020 FY during their tenure. Without complying with the terms of the contract, the price of a tonne of coal was allowed to be reduced from over 77,000 kyats to 42,000 kyats and they also allowed the reduction in production, which caused to lose more than 550 million kyats, said the commission.
In addition, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe, former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, former secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo and former joint secretary U Than signed a lease agreement with companies to do 21 businesses under the Department of Playgrounds, Parks and Gardens during their tenure, and the Office of the Auditor General recommended over-renting at a modern rate, but they made no compliance causing to lose more than 21 billion kyats in annual rent, announced the commission.
Similarly, former mayor U Maung Maung Soe, former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, former secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo and former joint secretary U Than lost more than 70 million kyats in staff salaries although the two sides would have to negotiate the salaries of staff at City FM, a joint venture between YCDC and a service company, due to the lack of amendments to the Audit Office of the Auditor General, which was funded by the state, according to the commission.
As a result, the first complaint was filed against former Yangon Region Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Energy U Han Tun and former mayor U Maung Maung Soe charged under Section 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, former deputy mayor U Soe Lwin, former secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, former joint secretary U Than and member of the Board of Directors U Zin Min Aung charged under Section 55/63 of the Anti-Corruption Law at the Kyauktada Township Police Station on May 26, announced the ACC.
