• Burmese
Sunday, December 3, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
30 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home In Person

‘Nothing Can be Done Well as Long as There is Corruption’

by San Yamin Aung
September 4, 2017
in In Person
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
A staff member at a bank ties stacks of kyat together in Yangon on October 10, 2012. / Soe Zayar Tun / Reuters

A staff member at a bank ties stacks of kyat together in Yangon on October 10, 2012. / Soe Zayar Tun / Reuters

7.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

YANGON — U Thin Maung, a member of Myanmar’s anti-corruption commission, explained in a recent interview with The Irrawaddy what the commission has accomplished since its formation more than three years ago, as well the difficulties in combating the country’s deep rooted corruption.

The commission was formed of former high-ranking officials under ex-President U Thein Sein’s government in February 2014, to enforce the Anti-Corruption Law. Its term expired in March, but since the new government hasn’t yet replaced the members, the commission continues to perform its duties.

RelatedPosts

Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

December 2, 2023
11.4k
ASEAN Urged to Stop Calling For ‘Inclusive Talks’ Between Myanmar Junta and Its Victims

ASEAN Urged to Stop Calling For ‘Inclusive Talks’ Between Myanmar Junta and Its Victims

December 2, 2023
2.7k
Junta Watch: India Comes Calling After Regime Loses Border Towns; Dictator Complains of Resistance’s ‘Excessive Force’; and More

Junta Watch: India Comes Calling After Regime Loses Border Towns; Dictator Complains of Resistance’s ‘Excessive Force’; and More

December 2, 2023
2k

Seventy-year-old U Thin Maung contrasted the low wages of civil servants with high commodity prices, citing it as the main reason for continued corruption in the government.

How much does corruption matter in the building of a country?

Nothing can be done well as long as there is corruption. When I was in Australia to earn a Master of Economics [degree], a professor asked us to identify a common characteristic of developing countries in the first lecture of Development Economics. The professor replied: corruption. Corruption is the most prominent common characteristic of poor nations.

As long as there is no corruption, nothing can be done in the way that it should be done, nothing can be done in the timeframe that has been planned—and besides, people won’t be treated fairly. But corruption has been around since ancient times. I would say it has become worse around the world. In a research paper from around the year 2000, the total cost of corruption was estimated annually to be US$1 trillion, which was equal to a cost of World Health Organization vaccination projects for children in 72 developing countries. But in 2015, it rose to $2 trillion. That proved that corruption didn’t disappear, even though more countries have improved their scores in corruption perception indexes like those by graft watchdog Transparency International. Myanmar ranked 172 out of 176 nations in 2012 and 136 in 2016. But these are the results according to their criteria. Even in Singapore, where there is a zero-tolerance policy towards bribery, there are still bribe-givers and takers with action being taken against them.

Is it impossible to be corruption-free?

As long as people hold onto their greed, it is impossible. When we say we will fight against corruption, it is to reduce it as much as we can.

What has the commission done during its three-and-a-half-year term?

We have investigated more than 40 cases out of 3,572 complaints. We can’t investigate all of the complaint letters that we receive. The law has a limitation saying that the one who files the complaint to us needs to describe evidence [of corruption]. Without it, we can’t start an investigation. Another thing is that we can’t disturb the judiciary system. If it is a case that is still ongoing in the courts, we can’t interrupt it. But if there is important evidence that the accused judge or lawyer is taking bribes, we carry out an investigation.

For complaint letters which addressed the State Counselor’s Office, the President’s Office or relevant ministries and sent a copy to us, we can’t start an investigation our own. We need to wait for instructions from the relevant ministries.

The commission also can’t look into the cases that happened before the law [2013 Anti-Corruption Law] became effective. The cases before it were handled by the Bureau of Special Investigation.

The letters which don’t include complete information about the complainant are rejected, as we can’t communicate with them and investigate whether or not the aggrieved person is real. For some, we transfer them directly to the regional or state governments or relevant ministries, if we think the cases could be resolved faster or more effectively by them.

Can the commission take action against bribe-givers?

That’s a controversial issue. For now, bribe-givers file complaints against those who took bribes. If we find out that it is true, we take action, and the bribe-givers become government witnesses in court. But the culprits always asked the court to declare the bribe-givers as co-culprits.

Under the law, the definition of the corruption includes giving, accepting, obtaining, or attempting to obtain a proposal, promise, or discussion.

But there are two kinds of bribe-givers—the one who is pressured to give and the one who gives on their own in order to gain advantages.

Those who are pressured or threatened to give bribes aren’t guilty. There was a case where we took action against the bribe-giver. A lawyer was imprisoned as he tried to bribe the judge in order to win in his client’s case.

But if we took action against all bribe-givers, I don’t think anyone would file complaints, as they would be afraid they would be imprisoned, too.

What limitations or difficulties is the commission facing in tackling corruption?

[Difficulties] in the legal process. If we find out about a graft after we have carried out an investigation into the complaint or the cases ordered by the President or speakers of the Parliament, we open the case. The cases opened under the Anti-Corruption Law didn’t grant bail and the accused person can be arrested immediately. But to arrest civil servants while they are in service, we need approval in advance from the head of the department in the ministry as per civil service law. And that takes at least one or two weeks to get the letter back from the department head saying that she or he did not object to the arrest. That has led to the accused person running away.

So far, around five people have gone on the run, including accused judges. If that happens, we declare them as fugitives and turn the case over to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which can issue an arrest warrant. We have only caught and arrested one fugitive.

Under the new government, the embezzlement of a large sum of regional development funds by the former chief minister was uncovered in Magwe Region. Are there any similar cases?

The Magwe case was not submitted to the commission. It came out following a lawmaker’s question in Parliament. We have not yet received cases dealing with an amount like that. The biggest case was that of the ex-deputy permanent secretary of Home Affairs U Pyone Cho and five others. [U Pyone Cho is now the secretary of the Karen State government. He was accused of involvement in a scandal concerning the sale of a land plot in Yangon worth an estimated 100 million kyats while he was serving as the deputy permanent secretary of the home affairs ministry under Gen Ko Ko in 2015.]

That case was the biggest since the commission’s formation in regard to the amount of money involved, and also the level of the officials in the case.

What do you think is the most important action to stop corruption among the civil servants?

The most important thing is that civil servants need to be happy with their civil service life. To be happy, they need to not to be worried about their meals. The other thing is their environment. We need to create a good environment for them where they can work happily. They will work hard if there is a guarantee for their careers. When we were civil servants, we could guess which positions we would be promoted to based on our work experience. But it’s different now.

Another thing is, in other countries, they increased the salaries of civil servants after making calculations based on inflation and the consumer price index. But we can’t do that yet.

Compared with the previous government, have you seen improvements under the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government? State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has also said that the fact that her ministers are not corrupt is what has pleased her the most in her first nine months of government in an interview with Channel News Asia.

We have not yet uncovered or received reports of corruption among the National League for Democracy (NLD) ministers, which is progress from the previous government, which was afflicted with allegations. I hope the situation continues like this.

The NLD government has come up with two priorities since assuming power: peace and a corruption-free government. They announced directives for the public procurement system to all ministries soon after taking office in March 2016, and made them public. Previously, there was no such mandate. So, if the public found out about any behaviors violating the directives, they could complain. But if they think it doesn’t concern them, the conditions will be the same as before. That’s why we need awareness.

People also need to have resistance—not to give bribes. In our custom, there is a saying that “giving is the key to success.” So, when there is pressure, people are easily bribed. Government has the responsibility to raise awareness, and so do the NGOs and individuals, too.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: CorruptionNational League for Democracy (NLD)Politics
Previous Post

Myanmar’s Enemy Within: Buddhist Violence and the Making of a Muslim ‘Other’

Next Post

Indonesian Envoy to Urge Myanmar to Halt Violence in Rakhine

San Yamin Aung

San Yamin Aung

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

General Close to Myanmar Junta Boss Placed Under House Arrest, Interrogated for Corruption

General Close to Myanmar Junta Boss Placed Under House Arrest, Interrogated for Corruption

September 14, 2023
23.5k
Myanmar Junta Reportedly Set to Prosecute High-Profile Businessmen for Corruption

Myanmar Junta Reportedly Set to Prosecute High-Profile Businessmen for Corruption

October 18, 2023
11.7k
Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand

Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand

November 18, 2023
9.6k
Tracking the Business Empire of Myanmar Regime Stalwart Moe Aung and His Siblings

Tracking the Business Empire of Myanmar Regime Stalwart Moe Aung and His Siblings

September 4, 2023
5.9k
Myanmar Junta’s ‘Kickback King’ in Spotlight of Corruption Crackdown

Myanmar Junta’s ‘Kickback King’ in Spotlight of Corruption Crackdown

September 11, 2023
5.8k
Decision Time for Myanmar’s Junta: Who Will Replace Min Aung Hlaing?

Decision Time for Myanmar’s Junta: Who Will Replace Min Aung Hlaing?

November 7, 2023
5.7k
Load More
Next Post
Activists and protesters take part in a rally in support of Myanmar’s Rohingya during one of the deadliest bouts of violence involving the Muslim minority in decades, in Jakarta, Indonesia September 3, 2017. / Darren Whiteside / Reuters

Indonesian Envoy to Urge Myanmar to Halt Violence in Rakhine

Rohingya refugees walk on a muddy path after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Teknaf, Bangladesh, Sept. 3, 2017. / Reuters

Nearly 90,000 Rohingya Escape Myanmar Violence as Humanitarian Crisis Looms

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

24 hours ago
11.4k
As Myanmar’s Junta Loses Control, Its Coup Leader Ratchets Up His Blame Game

As Myanmar’s Junta Loses Control, Its Coup Leader Ratchets Up His Blame Game

2 days ago
5.6k

Most Read

  • Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

    Operation 1027 Will Not End Until Myanmar’s Junta is Removed, Ethnic Army Says

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar’s Civilian Government Takes Control of Seized Funds

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ASEAN Urged to Stop Calling For ‘Inclusive Talks’ Between Myanmar Junta and Its Victims

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • As Myanmar’s Junta Loses Control, Its Coup Leader Ratchets Up His Blame Game

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Charting the Shifting Power Balance on Myanmar’s Battlefields 

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.