Mawlamyine, October 5
According to U Aung Kyi Thein, spokesman for the Mon State’s military council, there are currently no plans to disclose to the public the budgetary expenditures performed by the departments under the military regime.
U Aung Kyi Thein made this comment in response to a question from Than Lwin Times on whether to publish the Citizen Budget and disclose corruption in Mons State, security forces’ extortion of money and budget spending.
U Aung Kyi Thein said that the budget funds used by the regime’s ministries won’t be revealed to the public because there are no parliaments like before and there is no mutual discussion.
Although the budget was being used as usual by the regime ministries, he said that he could answer the question, but there was no intention of informing the public.
Because the military council keeps the public in the dark about its spending plans, economists believe funds were wasted and corruption within the department could worsen.
The Citizen Budget was released during the previous NLD administration’s fiscal year so that the general public could study the departmental expenditure plans.
Local residents say that after the military coup in Mon State, the use of public funds by the departments under the military council is no longer transparent and local development activities have decreased.
News – Than Lwin Times