22 August
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi emphasized on the importance of coordination and cooperation among the relevant departments and the public during her inspection tour to Thilawa Special Economic Zone yesterday.
She led Union Ministers U Kyaw Tint Swe, U Min Thu, U Thaung Tun, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and officials while she was visiting the first special economic zone of Myanmar, located on the outskirt of Yangon.
At the Multipurpose Hall of Myanmar Japan Thilawa Development, the State Counsellor was briefed on the progress and the ongoing businesses of the SEZ by Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance, in his capacity as Chairman of Thilawa SEZ Management Committee, Dr Set Aung, Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Ichiro Maruyama, Chairman of Myanmar Japan Thilawa Development Ltd. U Win Aung and President and CEO Mr Tomoyasu Shimizu.
In making remarks on the reports, the State Counsellor expressed her appreciation for the progress of Thilawa SEZ as it has already developed a master plan.
She advised to take account into its safety measures as the residential buildings are found near the factories, and also suggested to gain profit from implementing the mega project.
The State Counsellor also put emphasis on the importance of coordination among the relevant departments and cooperation in relation with the public and business companies.
She also recognized a complaint programme at the SEZ that was a newly developed for ensuring good practices in dealing with the public. She also pointed out a relation between employment opportunities and infrastructural development in the economic policy.
The State Counsellor then encouraged for the successful implementation of the One Stop Service Center that is helping the daily business operations in the support of coordination and cooperation. She finally congratulated the management and leading role of Chairman Dr Set Aung.
Then, the State Counsellor signed the visitor’s book and posed for the documentary photo.
The State Counsellor and party then visited the One Stop Service Center (OSSC), greeted the staff members and posed for documentary photo.
The State Counsellor and officials arrived at the Thilawa SEZ (A) and visited the Foster Electric Thilawa Co, Ltd that manufactures earphones, speakers and headphones; the pharmaceutical company Zifam Pyrex Myanmar Co, Ltd, the healthy yogurt production factory Yakult Myanmar Co, Ltd and the automobile factory Suzuki Thilawa Co, Ltd.
A total of 113 business firms from 20 countries have invested over US$1.7 billion in doing their businesses. Among them, 76 companies have begun commercially and 20 of them are exporting their products.
The Thilawa SEZ has provided over 20,000 jobs to workers including over 9,000 permanent workers at factories. The 405-hectre Zone A was launched for commercial purpose on 23 September 2015, and 87 firms have been permitted to do their business there. The Zone B has been implementing phase by phase and 18 business firms have been approved for this area.—MNA (Translated by Aung Khin)
