"Sparing no one in fighting corruption": Myanmar official media

YANGON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's official media "the Global New Light of Myanmar" stressed on Wednesday the importance of "sparing no one in fighting corruption" notwithstanding their roles in the government machinery under law.

"In our efforts to combat corruption, which has become customary and has taken root in most departments, we must not spare anyone because corruption poses a major obstacle to economic development, efforts to raise the living standard of the people, measures for reducing poverty and the smooth flow of foreign investment," the paper said in its editorial.

The editorial came after Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region Chief Minister Dr. Lae Lae Maw was relieved from duty on Monday following her arrest on charge of corruption along with three local company officials.

The removal of the regional chief minister came at the end of a one-month investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the charge against the female chief minister.

Lae Lae Maw is the first chief minister to be charged with corruption since the incumbent government, led by the National League for Democracy (NLD), took power in 2016.

Myanmar has been stepping up anti-corruption activities with the ACC taking measures to form anti-corruption units tasked with scrutinizing corruption cases, tackling the issue and preventing graft among civil servants.

President U Win Myint had told the ACC to draw up an action plan and make efforts in this endeavor.

To ensure a clean government and a good governance system, the Anti-Corruption Act was amended to conform with the international standard during the tenure of the incumbent government.

The government has been working to improve the administrative, legislative and judiciary, political and economic affairs as the country makes the transition to a democratic system, while it has clamped down on corruption, deeming it a national duty, the editorial said.

The editorial urged institutional leaders to lead the efforts against corruption and tackle it themselves to change the situation, warning that people in position of authority are often the ones to commit graft.

The editorial called for ensuring that no one is set free without punishment for any act of corruption, saying that only then can there be no corruption.