Minister for Facebook, YCDC rep trade jabs over Botahtaung jetty

By Kyaw Phone Kyaw   |   Thursday, 07 May 2015

A recently elected member of Yangon’s municipal council has come out swinging against Minister for Information U Ye Htut over a Facebook post in which he complained about garbage at one of the city’s most popular riverside spots.

Trash lines the car park at Botahtaung jetty in the image U Ye Htut posted to Facebook on May 3. (U Ye Htut/Facebook)

U Ye Htut, who is also the president’s spokesperson and has been dubbed the “minister for Facebook” due to his frequent postings, uploaded three photos to the social media site on May 3 showing rubbish on the ground at Botahtaung jetty, along with the message, “At Botahtaung jetty there is no beautiful landscape and no fresh air, only unpleasant smells, garbage and stray dogs that are disappointing for those people going there to exercise.”

The minister’s criticism of the Yangon City Development Committee-managed site prompted U Khin Hlaing, who was elected to the committee in December, to respond in kind.

On May 5, he posted on his own Facebook page that the jetty, in Seikkan township, had been mismanaged by state-run Myanma Port Authority until it was handed over to YCDC four months ago.

“Myanma Port Authority always manipulated and give permission for renting space to various companies with various kinds of projects on land [in Seikkan township],” he said.

“We were only able to open a YCDC office in Seikkan township in May. If you want to know why, you should ask the mayor.”

He continued, “Why don’t you criticize allowing buildings to be constructed on public land at Botahtaung jetty. [The land] is rented by a military officer for K500,000 a month for 10 years from Myanma Port Authority and it’s disturbing the public.”

U Ye Htut has not responded to U Khin Hlaing’s comments and did not answer his phone yesterday.

The car park at Botahtaung jetty appeared freshly cleaned yesterday evening. (Aung Myin Ye Zaw/The Myanmar Times)

U Khin Hlaing also used his rant to discuss the role of elected representatives on YCDC, saying they had been given little authority to make decisions. Four representatives were selected at much-criticised elections in December, in which fewer than 10 percent of residents were eligible to vote. Five other members of YCDC, including Yangon Mayor U Hla Myint, are appointed rather than elected.

“All major projects and tasks are taken by [the appointed members],” U Khin Hlaing said. “The Yangon mayor cannot [fight back against] the chief minister. Mr Mayor is also afraid of the tycoons with fangs.

“Anyway, we, the four elected members of YCDC, are trying to clean up the mess.

“In May, we took responsibility for management of Seikkan township by force. Let us know your desires, such as cleaning the garbage or solving the stray dog problem. But you have to take responsibility for the other issues, Mr presidential spokesman.”

U Khin Hlaing declined to answer questions when contacted by The Myanmar Times yesterday.
By yesterday evening, however, there was little rubbish and few stray dogs to be found at Botahtaung jetty.
 @kyawphonekyaw