President Appoints Two Deputy Ministers

By The Irrawaddy 13 December 2016

RANGOON — Burma’s President U Htin Kyaw appointed deputy ministers to the President’s Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation on Monday.

U Min Thu, a retired colonel and former pilot from the Burma Air Force, and Irrawaddy Division planning and finance minister U Hla Kyaw—who also worked at the agricultural planning department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation from 1992 to 2014—have been appointed as deputy ministers for the President Office’s and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, respectively, according to an announcement released on Monday.

The order came after the deputy minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr. Tun Win was sacked by the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party last month. The sudden dismissal drew public criticism as the government remained silent about the reasoning behind it.

The incumbent NLD government had previously appointed 10 deputy ministers for positions in various ministries: foreign affairs; the state counselor’s office; defense; home affairs; border affairs; transportation and communications; agriculture, livestock and irrigation; planning and finance; education; and electricity and energy.