With the technical assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ayeyarwady Regional government collaborated and conducted the corruption prevention workshop with the title of "Responsible Governance and Business Enterprises" at City Hall in Pathein this morning. 

    At the workshop, opening speeches were delivered by U Hla Moe Aung, Prime Minister of the Ayeyarwady Regional Government, and U Aung Kyi, Chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission. Additionally, a total of 6 persons including the Minister of the Regional Government, Commissioner, external experts, and local businessmen engaged in discussions on stage, addressing anti-corruption issues, responsible governance, and economic aspects.

    During the workshop, U Hla Moe Aung, Prime Minister of the Irrawaddy Region, expressed his satisfaction with the efforts made by Anti-Corruption Commission to raise public awareness. He emphasized that the regional government is committed to working collaboratively to establish a corruption-free region. The purpose of the workshop is to reduce corruption by raising awareness of Anti-Corruption measures. Corruption is a detrimental system that has contributed to poverty in the country and it must be fought. Then, he further stated that reducing corruption would lead to economic development.

    Furthermore, the Chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission, U Aung Kyi emphasized the Commission’s beliefs in the importance of simultaneously promoting integrity and prevention measures to effectively reduce the occurrence of prosecutions and offences. He also highlighted that the Commission will continue to organize workshops as parts of their ongoing efforts in this regard.

    The authorities must make a decisive commitment to initiating the anti-corruption or prevention process within their departments and be willing to make sacrifices to eradicate corruption from themselves and their organizations. This task requires assuming responsibility for transforming the entire system, even in the face of challenges. It represents a genuine endeavor for democratic reform within government departments, private businesses and civil organizations. We firmly believe that there are still many people who remain resolute in their opposition to corruption, driven by a genuine sense of conscience. We urge these individuals to take their place in the prevention of corruption and it is time to join hands with the people to fight against the evil system of corruption. As dedicated civil servants who embody integrity and good-hearted, they will take responsibility to actively work towards reducing corruption within their respective departments:

(1) To verify and identify corruption taking place within the departments in various townships and rural areas;

(2) If any petty bribes are discovered, they should be reported so that appropriate action can be taken in accordance with the civil service law. In case of larger corruptions, instances of the Commission should immediately transfer the matter to Union Ministry (or relevant government).

(3) The Commission would like to emphasize that if any rules, procedures or regulations are found to have potential risks of corruption, they should be submitted to the Corruption Prevention Unit (CPU) and relevant government organizations by the Union Ministry. 

    With the establishment of Corruption Prevention Unit (CPU) and the implementation of Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) process in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Goal. 16, it is now possible to assert that anti-corruption efforts have become universal. By initiating change within themselves and assuming responsibility for transforming their organizations, individuals are restoring the dignity to their society. We urged them to promote responsibility in the state's administration and business.

    After that, the Chairman of the Commission and the Regional Chief Minister took photos together with the attendees. The workshop continued with Commissioner U Soe Tint discussing "Commission's anti-corruption measures", Regional Planning and Finance Minister U Htay Win addressing the topic of the "Responsible administrative sector", Dr. Tin Maung Than (Your Life) speaking about "Responsible administrative sector", Dr. Zaw Oo  discussing "The sector of responsible CSOs", U Win Myint Aung from UMFCCI presenting on "Responsible Business Sector", and U Win Myint Hlaing, a local businessman, sharing insights on "Responsible Business Enterprises".

    In the afternoon, the attendees asked questions and engage in discussions related to the topics of interest and the officials provided answered.

    Following that, the Regional Chief Minister reviewed the outcomes of the discussion. The workshop was attended by a total of 500 representatives, including Commissioners from Anti-Corruption Commission, Government Officials from Ayeyarwady Region, officials from United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Civil Society Organizations and businessmen, and medias.