Zaw Zaw, the chairman of the Myanmar Football Federation and founder of Max Myanmar Group, may be the most socially conscious of those among Burma’s business elite who are regarded as cronies.
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Ten residents of Maday Island in Kyaukphyu Township have been charged by local police for protesting against the oil and gas pipeline projects on the island without receiving official permission to hold a demonstration.
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The selection process for service provider in the telecommunication sector may have been tainted with conflict of interest as some of the 12 of the 100 companies chosen are said to have close relations with the government.
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In Yangon, Myanmar, a taxi driver claimed excitedly: “I waited for 4 years to own a cell phone, and now I cannot live without it.” Two months ago, he spent 50 dollars to buy a cell phone of Chinese brand Huawei, and another 250 dollars for a SIM card from the national service carrier. In a country with a GDP per capita of 1100 dollars, that was a lot of money. But compared with 4 years ago, the service charge of cell phones has dropped substantially. A SIM card was at one point at an unbelievably high price of 4000 dollars in Myanmar- in fact, only wealthy people and the privileged class could afford a cell phone.
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Speaking to Mizzima on behalf of state-run China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the Secretary to the Chinese Ambassador in Yangon, Xiong Guofeng, said that the company did not force workers at its pipeline plant on Maday Island to sign a pledge saying they would not participate in Thursday’s demonstration, and furthermore that they did not dismiss more than 50 workers who refused to do so.
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While recognizing the importance of migrant labor to economic growth, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is more concerned with regulating their mobility than addressing inhumane and restrictive national control of cross-border populations, concludes a recently published paper by Shan scholar Sai S.W. Latt.

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Myanma Port Authority announced on Monday that it will build 14 more jetties at Yangon Port in addition to the 18 existing ones, a move that will effectively double freight handling, the state-run New Light of Myanmar reported on Monday.
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As commercial activities resumed yesterday in Myanmar after 4-day of celebrating traditional New Year Water Festival, gold price has fallen US$56 per tical ($97 per ounce) but US dollar exchange rate against Myanmar currency ‘kyat’ (K) rose from K884 to K897.
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Myanmar has embarked on one of the most significant political transitions taking place globally. Unlike the Arab spring, this is a top-down evolution that is opening up one of Asia’s poorest but also most promising countries, given its strong resource base, attractive demographics and strategic geography.
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European Union countries are poised to invest in Thilawa Special Economic zone in Myanmar along side with companies from Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore and the US, according to a recent meeting held at the township administrative office.
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The Bay of Bengal is the scene of a new battle between Burma and Bangladesh as the neighbors compete to attract international oil companies to invest in their hopefully resource-rich sections of the sea.
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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said foreign investment in the newly democratizing nation is being held up by inadequate infrastructure and uncertainty over investment laws. (more…)

The European Union is expected to lift all sanctions on Myanmar next week, except for an arms embargo, in recognition of the “remarkable process of reform” in the country, a document seen by Reuters showed on Wednesday.
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Major Korean banks are rushing to launch businesses in Myanmar in order to tap into new revenue sources in the rapidly-growing market. (more…)

“Telkom’s loss was understandable since the company does not have much international experience” – Indonesian style excuse! If you don’t have experience, hire professional employees or consultants. Indonesia is completely uncompetitive on the International market and getting even less competitive.
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A major infrastructure project involving the development of the Dawei deep seaport and special economic zone may be in jeopardy, said an informed source, citing the lack of financial transaction going into the constructions of the project.
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Kyauk Pru: Arakan state government authority has allowed the local people to hold a demonstration against the Chinese Company CNPC which is a major company working at the Shwe Gas project in Arakan, said an activist who is leading the campaign.
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Myanmar’s government has opened a long-awaited auction for 30 offshore oil and gas exploration blocks in its latest effort to attract foreign investment.
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Myanmar has announced the names of 12 international consortia that have pre-qualified to bid for two mobile licences, moving closer to opening one of the last major untapped mobile markets.
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Continued religious and ethnic violence in Burma could deter much-needed investment by fostering a “wait and see” attitude among foreign companies and entrepreneurs, according to a study of the recent spate of anti-Muslim rioting and arson in the country.
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