Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice- Senior General Soe Win delivers address at ceremony to mark International Anti-corruption Day
Nay Pyi Taw December 9
A ceremony to mark the International Anti-corruption Day was held at the Myanmar International Convention Centre-1 in Nay Pyi Taw this morning and Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win delivered an address at the ceremony.
Also present at the ceremony were members of the SAC, union level officials and union ministers, the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, the commander of the Nay Pyi Taw Command, deputy ministers, officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission and guests while chief ministers from states and regions participated in the ceremony via video conferencing.
First, the Vice-Senior General delivered an address, saying 9 December has been designated as the International Anticorruption Day to combat, prevent and raise awareness about corruption under the resolution No.58/4 of the United Nations General Assembly and ceremonies to mark the day are held across the world. Myanmar signed the United Nations Convention against Corruption- UNCAC in 2005 and became the 165th signatory to the convention in 2012.
To implement the provisions of the convention, the Anti-corruption Law was enacted in 2013 and the Anti-corruption Commission was formed while measures are being taken seriously to carry out prevention and combat against corruption successfully and effectively. To strengthen anti-corruption, it is necessary to boost international cooperation, necessary technical assistance and proper management of public property.
The government has been taking measures for stability of and the rule of law in the entire union, reconstruction of the country for prosperity and security of food, water and basic needs through people-centered approach by adopting roadmaps, objectives and visions. In carrying out reconstruction and building tasks for the development of the country, corruption is an enormous obstacle. Therefore, the government is required to combat corruption effectively and steps must be taken to build a community free from corruption.
As more rampant corruption can make the country poorer, the anti-corruption commission is required to fight corruption as a national duty and to exert efforts to create clean and good governance. The essence of anti-corruption is to protect the interests of the people and to build a community free from corruption. Government employees are people who build trust by bridging between the government and the people.
The main factor that affects the observance of rules, integrity and ethics of government employees is corruption. Therefore, if they perform their duties in accordance with the law, rules and regulations, correct practices without corruption, they will be able to build public trust and good governance and the country will certainly develop.
Corruption can take place through various ways and means by abusing money, property, authority in political, economic and administrative fields. Corruption is the main factor that not only affects the economy of the country but also hinders the efforts for poverty reduction and development of the country. The root cause of corruption is the consequences of lack of goodwill and conflicts of interests.
Corruption is the main hindrance for development of the country and it affects not only the morals of individuals but also the will to compete and personalities. Therefore, action is and will be effectively taken against those who seek personal interests by violating policies of the country and those who betray the country by deviating from the roadmap and objectives laid down by the country without discrimination.
In reducing corruption, investigating and taking action alone is not sufficient. Awareness raising and prevention tasks, which are fundamental to developing a culture that completely rejects and is free from corruption, must also be carried out simultaneously.
As a preventive measure, if the Union Ministries, organizations and the Corruption Prevention Unit (CPU) established in the regional and state governments are able to implement their assigned tasks, corruption will decrease and trust between the national government and the people will be strengthened.
As the investigation work is investigating and uncovering the losses due to the corruption of those in authority, the national government has instructed to take strong and effective action against corruption cases without discrimination. As the commission, it was found that in addition to confiscate as public funds, return to the state, to being able to protect and rescue the property without any loss or damage, it was found that the prosecution and punishment were carried out in an orderly manner in accordance with the law.
The anti-corruption commission's investigations and prosecutions resulted in the collection of public funds and the ability to return them to the national treasury of over Ks-23 billion and more than US$-4 million US dollars and the prevention of loss of national funds were more than Ks-155 billion and more than 3 million Euros. In addition to that it was found that the commission made the relevant companies to return the money, materials and taxes to be received by the state.
Corruption causes transnational crimes, as well as affecting the economy, administration, politics and social processes of every country. In order to cooperate internationally in anti-corruption activities, the commission is cooperating with regional anticorruption organizations such as ASEAN-Parties Against Corruption (ASEAN-PAC) and International anti-corruption organizations by signing Mo Us.
In addition, in order to speed up the role of international cooperation this year, a memorandum of understanding on anticorruption cooperation was signed between the ACC of Myanmar and Prosecutor General's Office of Russian Federation. It has been found that cooperation has been signed with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, India and South Korea. The commission wants to continue to increase the role of international cooperation.
Corruption undermines good governance and threatens the rule of law and civil rights. In addition, it also creates an obstacle for the ethics, values and moral integrity to be observed in the society. Therefore, in addition to the government departments and organizations and private sector in carrying out awareness, prevention and control activities of corruption, I would like to be encouraged the public as a whole to join hands and cooperate with each other.
Since the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day in 2023, the officials, civil servants, public employees, businessmen, civil society organizations, the news media and the general public that should adopt a zero tolerance policy to fight against corruption and establish a corruptionfree society together for the peaceful development of the country in accordance with the motto of the Myanmar Anti-Corruption Commission, "Eliminate corruption to create a peaceful country ", the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Then U Sit Aye, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission, explained the anti-corruption measures of the commission. After that, the Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council, the Deputy Prime Minister awarded the winners of the anti-corruption day poster competition and video competition with medals, certificates of honor and prize money.
In addition, the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission awarded medals, certificates of honor and prize money to the winners of the essay competitions commemorating the Anti-Corruption Day.
After that, the Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council, the Deputy Prime Minister, together with the participants of the ceremony, watched a video clip commemorating the International Anti-Corruption Day and toured around the photos of anti-corruption activities.