THE Anti-Corruption Commis[1]sion inspected the complaints against ex-Yangon Region chief minister U Hla Soe and ex-eco[1]nomic affairs minister U Aung Than Oo. According to the inspec[1]tions, they both failed to follow the President’s Office Notifi[1]cation No 1/2017 in selling the lands between 22-6-2021 and 21-1-2022 under the decision of the Yangon Region land man[1]agement committee meeting. Moreover, they allowed reducing the township wise current prices set by the regions’ Internal Rev[1]enue Department.

            The country faced losses of over K38,000 mil[1]lion for 262 acres of nine plots of land in Shwepyitha, Dagon Myo[1]thit (Seikkan), Dagon Myothit (North), Dagon Myothit (South), Dala and Thingangyun town[1]ships. Such doings also violated the existing law, rules and regu[1]lations and caused losses to the State budget. Secretary U Soe Soe Zaw served as a government land management committee mem[1]ber and did not report about the declining land selling price than current prices in applying for land and setting land plots prices and he proposed to relo[1]cate the land by contacting the permitted land buyers directly and participated in activities that caused losses to the State budget. Ex-chief minister of Yangon Region U Hla Soe took a bribe of K250 million in five tranches from ex-economic affairs minis[1]ter U Aung Than Oo in permit[1]ting government land. U Aung Than Oo also took a bribe of K500 million in six tranches from a construction company owner in applying for the land plots. U Aung Than Oo failed to open a deposit account at the Myanma Economic Bank in accordance with Notification 58/2019 of the Union Govern[1]ment Office in collecting more than K950 million from eight permitted persons for vacant and virgin lands, three persons for government lands and an[1]other person for Cooperate So[1]cial Responsibility-CSR and he deposited the money to two ac[1]counts opened under his name at Myanmar Apex Bank-MAB and kept the cheques. Such do[1]ings did not conform with the existing law, rules, regulations and procedures and it caused losses to the State budget. Secretary U Soe Soe Zaw proposed to the regional gov[1]ernment for the application of more than 32 acres of land plots in Dagon Myothit (North) Town[1]ship under a certain name of a retired person in August 2021, helping to reduce the land prices and CRS payments, agreed to give 20 per cent to him from the profits of land sale after getting the land grant. Such activities approved his attempts to take bribes by misusing his power. According to findings, Yangon Region’s former chief minister U Hla Soe and ex-eco[1]nomic affairs minister U Aung Than Oo were charged under Section 55 of the Anti-Corrup[1]tion Law, while secretary U Soe Soe Zaw under Section 55/63 and Section 56 of the Anti-Cor[1]ruption Law at respective po[1]lice stations of Yangon Region on 14 June, according to the commission.