Myanmar Monitor Weekly
Politics
Myanmar Minister Asks Mainstream Buddhists to Stop Hate Speech by Controversial Monk Group
Myanmar’s minister of religious affairs and culture has asked the country’s Buddhist clergy to take action against hate speech by monks belonging to an ultranationalist religious group Ma Ba Tha for the sake of stability and development in the country. He added that the Ma Ba Tha could continue to exist as a social organization if it stops using hate speech and forbids its members from using it.
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Myanmar Cracks Down on Dams
No new irrigation dams will be built in Myanmar under the current government, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Tun Win said on 13 July. The government will also halve maintenance spending for existing dams for the 2016-2017 fiscal year from 24 billion US$20.3 million, he added.
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Economy
Myanmar rice to enter Philippine market
The Philippines has offered to buy Myanmar rice through a government-to-government channel, according to the Myanmar commerce ministry. “Normally, the Philippines imports rice from Vietnam. It can be said that we may overtake Vietnam if [the deal] materializes,” said Khin Maung Lwin, the assistant secretary of the commerce ministry. Indonesia has also offered to buy 300,000 tons of rice from Myanmar. In early 2016, Myanmar’s first-ever rice exports to Indonesia faced difficulties due to pest infestation.
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Major Myanmar’s real estate project wins lease extensions
A half billion dollar real estate development in Yangon has gained critical lease extensions from the ministry of transport, its development said on 13 July. The Landmark Development, backed by Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. has been stalled since 2012 without them. The property includes the 139-year old Burma Railway Headquarters, a colonial building that will be transformed into a luxury hotel.
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Foreign Affairs
Myanmar migrants in Malaysia face imprisonment over passport delays
Myanmar migrants in Malaysia are facing arrest and imprisonment because the Myanmar embassy is taking four to six months to extend expiring passports, according to workers and activists. Over the last four years, the Myanmar embassy issued about 60,000 temporary passports, called 6Ps, for every migrant whose passport expired. The extra scrutiny is due to some applicants allegedly fabricating details in their paperwork.
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