USDP nominates building tycoons as poll candidates

Wednesday, 15 September 2010 20:50 Khaing Suu

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Four prominent construction-industry tycoons have been told to contest in national elections on November 7 as candidates for the main Burmese junta-backed party, one of the four said.

They are Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association chairman Dr. Khin Shwe (Zaygabar), Yan Win (A1), Htay Myint (Yuzana) and Tin San (ACE Company).

“I have done social work in my hometown since my youth so I was told to contest there in the forthcoming elections. I agreed to the offer because I want to promote development in the place I grew up,” Yan Win told Mizzima.

Khin Shwe will contest in the ninth constituency in the Rangoon Region of the National Assembly, which covers the townships of Twante, Kawhmu and Kungyangon townships. Yan Win will stand in the first constituency of Maubin Township in Irrawaddy Division for the States and Regions Assembly, and Tin San is standing in Myaungmya constituency in the same division but for a seat in the People’s Assembly. Htay Myin will stand in the Myeik constituency in Tenasserim Division, in the south of the country.

The most notable competitor for Yan Win in Maubin is Aung Thaung from the National Unity Party (NUP).

Yan Win, 59, said he would start on the hustings soon, with 10 million kyat (about US$10,000) in his war chest “in accordance with electoral laws”. He expressed confidence because he would be operating in familiar territory.

“Maubin is my hometown and I have many friends there who believe that I will keep my promise of doing social work, so it will not be difficult to achieve my electoral aim,” he told Mizzima. “I think my competitors did not do social works for the people’s sake as I have done. That is my strength.”

Yan Win has co-operated with the USDP in carrying out development work, so the party told him to stand for the seat in Maubin.

“I donated a great deal of money … and I also helped my town get government funding. Because of my efforts, my native town got about 200 to 300 million kyat of the government’s developmental budget,” he said.

He said that if he won a seat in parliament, he would try to boost the town’s economy, promote the region’s education and improve health-care services. He added that he could build schools and roads and work on connecting electricity to his native town.

Yan Win, 59, was born in Ngargyikayak village to farming parents. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Insein Government Technical Institute in 1973 then worked as an engineer in the Ministry of Construction for about 20 years. He later established A1 Construction and his other businesses include A1 Garment and the Panorama Hotel in Rangoon. He is also a major shareholder of the Mount Pleasant Hotel in Naypyidaw. His youngest brother, Thein Aung, owns Thein Construction.