Myanmar morning news for February 13, 2019

Myanmar police fire rubber bullets, tear gas to scatter ethnic minority protest
Myanmar police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon on Tuesday to disperse a protest over a statue of independence hero General Aung San that is opposed by members of the Karenni ethnic minority, police and a protest leader said.
— Trust

Myanmar speeds up issuing travel permits for foreigners to visit Myanmar’s ruby land
Myanmar has speeded up the issuance of travel permits for foreign tourists who plan to visit the ruby land of Mogok in the country’s northern Mandalay region in an effort to develop tourism, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.
— Xinhua

Water, traffic projects set to improve Yangon
Yangon has been striving to cope with the demands of modernisation ever since the military junta that ruled the country for over half a century gave way to the pressure of reforms nearly a decade ago.
— Myanmar Times

72nd Anniversary Union Day State Flag raising, saluting ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw
The 2019 72nd Anniversary of Union Day State flag hoisting and saluting ceremony was held in front of the Nay Pyi Taw City Hall yesterday morning, where 72nd Anniversary Union Day Convening Central Committee chairman Vice-President U Myint Swe read a Union Day message sent by the President.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

Myanmar Tourism Law 2018
The Myanmar Tourism Law came into effect on 17 September 2018. Its key objectives are to:
— Jdsupra

Myanmar Condominium Registration Office established and Registrars appointed
On 14 September 2018, the Ministry of Construction (MOC) issued Notification 227/2018 (the Notification 227) to set up the Condominium Registration Office.
— Jdsupra

With ‘on-the-go’ loans and tech, social firm boosts Myanmar farmers
A social venture in Myanmar is boosting farm outputs with customized technologies and giving loans for seasonal migration to raise incomes in one of the world’s poorest countries.
— Reuters

Ecstasy tablets worth nearly 400 million kyats seized in Maungdaw Township
Myanmar Narcotic Drug Suppression and Control Central Committee said that 195,000 ecstasy tablets (worth 390 million kyats at market price) were seized in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State.
— Mizzima

Vietnamese firm makes steel products in Thilawa
With Myanmar rapidly opening up to development, steel is becoming increasingly important to various industries in the country. Steel structures can be seen springing up across Yangon. As such, a Vietnamese steel importer is operating a manufacturing unit in Myanmar.
— Myanmar Times

Singaporean salon manager jailed for abusing Myanmar maid
A Singaporean woman who abused her Myanmar maid by forcing her to pour hot water on herself, pulling her hair out and hitting her was jailed for three years on Monday.
— Coconuts

Myanmar adds yuan and yen as trade-settlement currencies
Myanmar has added the Chinese yuan and Japanese yen as permissible settlement currencies for international payments and transfers, the Central Bank of Myanmar said on January 30.
— Central Banking

Myanmar forces violating human rights in Rakhine unrest: Amnesty
Myanmar’s military is shelling villages and preventing civilians from getting food and humanitarian help, amid an intensifying crackdown on the rebel Arakan Army in the restive northwestern state of Rakhine that has pushed thousands from their homes, Amnesty International has said.
— Siasat

Myanmar president stresses commitment to union’s independence, sovereignty
Myanmar President U Win Myint on Tuesday stressed the united strength and commitment of all ethnic people in helping preserve and perpetuate independence and sovereignty, and prevent the disintegration of the union.
— Xinhua

Bangkok-bound IndiGo Flight Diverted to Myanmar Due to Oil Pressure Warning
IndiGo’s Bengaluru-Bangkok flight diverted to Yangoon in Myanmar on Tuesday due to oil pressure warning on one of its engines, the airline said.
— Latestly

Supplementary measles vaccination in Yangon
The Health Department has scheduled supplementary measles immunisations for seven townships in Yangon where the disease is prevalent, a senior Department of Public Health official said.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar’s Dignity Rests on Outcome of Murder Trial, Says Slain Lawyer’s Daughter
The landmark trial of three men accused of plotting the assassination of a prominent Muslim lawyer will draw to a close Friday, more than two years since the killing sent shock waves through the country.
— VOA

Hsin Pyaung vessel capsized near Man Aung Island
Hsin Pyaung motor vessel owned by Myanmar Port Authority left for preparing light houses along coastal areas was capsized near Man Aung Island where 2 crew died and 15 crew and a local light house staff was missing according to Myanmar Port Authority.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar recycling startup gets US$150,000 and entry into Norwegian accelerator
RecyGlo, a Myanmar startup that has built a recycling pick-up service, has been accepted into the Katapult Ocean Accelerator Program from Norway and will receive a US$150,000 investment as part of the programme.
— The independent

Bankers seek clarity over foreign equity in Myanmar banks
The latest regulation by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) permitting foreign institutions to invest up to 35 percent in local banks has been well-received by the banking and financial industry. However, experts have flagged the need for further clarity in its provisions.
— Myanmar Times

Meeting on additional measles vaccination in Yangon Region held in Nay Pyi Taw
A meeting on an additional measles vaccination program in Dagon Myothit East, Dagon Myothit Southern and Dagon Myothit Seikkan townships in East Yangon District and Hlinethaya, Shwepyitha, Mingaladon and Insein townships in Northern Yangon District, status of using QGIS software in vaccination works and future work was held at the Ministry of Health and Sports yesterday morning.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

Yoma to snap up YKKO for $12.6m
Conglomerate Yoma Strategic will acquire a 65 percent-stake in Myanmar restaurant chain YKKO in a deal worth US$12.6 million.
— Myanmar Times

Galway council revokes freedom award for Suu Kyi
Galway City Council has voted to revoke a resolution giving the Freedom of the City to Aung San Suu Kyi.
— Rte.ie

Ambassador of Denmark attends educational meeting in Myanmar
Myanmar National Education Policy Commission invited John Nielsen, Ambassador of Denmark to Myanmar to the meeting taking place around 4-8 February 2019.
— ScandAsia

FAO in the 2019 humanitarian appeal: Myanmar – Humanitarian Response Plan 2019
Humanitarian needs in Myanmar are characterized by a complex combination of vulnerability to natural disasters, food insecurity, armed conflict, inter-communal tensions, statelessness, institutionalized discrimination, protracted displacement, human trafficking and risky migration.
— Reliefweb

Lighthouse vessel sank in Myanmar waters, 18 missing
Lighthouse vessel SINPYAUNG sank on Feb 11 in waters of Rakhine State, western Myanmar, Bay of Bengal, while carrying out construction works on a lighthouse to be installed on Lattphat island. Vessel supposedly, was at anchor.
— Maritime Bulletin

Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in Myanmar: 2018 Overview
FDIs in Myanmar rose by close to 45 per cent to an estimated value of USD4 billion. This is the third consecutive year of increase in FDIs. Strong investments from the ASEAN region pushed this increase.
— Jdsupra

President, First Lady host reception and dinner in commemoration of 72nd Union Day
President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho hosted a reception and dinner to commemorate the 72nd Anniversary Union Day in the square in front of Nay Pyi Taw City Hall yesterday evening.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

Amendment backers rally in Mandalay
Hundreds of people on Monday gathered in a park in Mandalay city to demand changes to Myanmar’s constitution, which is now being discussed in parliament.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar authorities confiscate smuggled teak timbers
Myanmar authorities have captured six tons of illegally harvested teak timbers in Taikkyi, Yangon region, according to the official Global New Light of Myanmar.
— Menafn

Feature photo USAID Asia

This week’s morning news photo features International Day of Women and Girls in Science, February 11.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Myanmar morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Myanmar news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.