pwc myanmar weekly business intelligence · 2020-04-06 · pwc myanmar weekly business intelligence...

PwC Myanmar Weekly Business IntelligenceIssue No. 207

05 April 2020

05 April 2020

PwC

Disclaimer

2PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence

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Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

05 April 2020

PwC

Highlights

• “On Sunday, a working committee to tackle the impacts of the global coronavirus outbreak on the

country’s economy announced that the most vulnerable sectors—CMP (garment and

manufacturing) and hotel and tourism businesses, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises

owned by local businesspeople—can apply for loans from the COVID-19 fund set up by the state.”

• “Myanmar enacted a new insolvency law on March 25, a month after receiving Parliament

approval. The new legislation will facilitate the government in managing and dealing with cases

involving insolvency in Myanmar and is expected to strengthen the business environment and

draw more foreign investors to the country.“

• “The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Myanmar’s government on Tuesday

agreed to official development assistance (ODA) loans to contribute to economic and social

development through improvements to the railway system and electricity supply.”

PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence

3

Infrastructure

Transport

• Japan to provide ¥47 billion for two infrastructure projects

• Smart parking project temporarily suspended

• SJ Myanmar Secures 6th Contract to Manage Jetty Construction

Energy

• Chinese consortium may avoid fines despite missing emergency power deadline

• Power shift

Real Estate

• Construction contraction due to virus outbreak

• South Korean govt vows to see projects through in Myanmar

• Winners and losers at the Thilawa SEZ

Waste and Water

• Purity and Danger, on Yangon’s streets

Other Infra

• Pandemic adds to Chinese infrastructure delays in Myanmar: ICG

• Telenor follows Myanmar orders to block alleged ‘fake news’ sites

• Five key markets in Yangon closed

Infrastructure

• Myanmar Govt Announces Loan Package for Coronavirus-Hit Businesses in Key Sectors

• Govt to go fully online for import, export licences in Myanmar

• More woes for Myanmar garment industry as EU cancels orders

• Myanmar Investments agrees to sell microfinance firm MFIL to Thailand’s Thitikorn

• Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank cuts interest rates

Financial and Business

• Myanmar enacts new insolvency legislation

• World Bank cuts growth forecast, urges focus on health sector

• China committed to investing in Myanmar despite COVID-19 pandemic: Ambassador

• Stimulus moves win praise, but will they be enough?

• In Myanmar, the 'cure' for COVID could be deadlier than the disease

Policy and Regulation

InfrastructurePolicy and

Regulation

Tender

Opportunities

MIC

Permitted

Projects

Upcoming

Events

Financial and

BusinessIssue - 207, 05 Apr 2020

http://www.pwc.com/sg/en/

05 April 2020


4

05 April 2020

PwC 5PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence


Myanmar Govt Announces Loan Package for Coronavirus-Hit Businesses in Key Sectors

YANGON—The Myanmar government has

announced that local businesses that have been

badly hit by COVID-19 can apply for loans as

part of its initial stimulus package to cushion the

impact of the global pandemic on the country’s

economy.

On Sunday, a working committee to tackle the

impacts of the global coronavirus outbreak on the

country’s economy announced that the most

vulnerable sectors—CMP (garment and

manufacturing) and hotel and tourism

businesses, as well as small and medium-sized

enterprises owned by local businesspeople—can

apply for loans from the COVID-19 fund set up

by the state.

The fund, which was created last week,

earmarks 100 billion kyats (about US$72 million)

for those sectors, which have been recognized

as priorities for state assistance based on their

vulnerability to COVID-19. The interest rate on

loans provided by the fund will be only 1 percent

with a loan period of one year.

The committee said the businesses can apply for

the loans from March 30 to April 9.

Among other criteria established by the

government, qualifying businesses must have

been licensed by the relevant departments

before the end of March 2018; must have had an

annual income for the past two years; and must

be in sufficiently stable condition to repay the

loan.

Moreover, the committee said the loans must be

used to pay salaries and fund current business

operations only.

To qualify for a loan, businesses must be

currently active, or their operations must not

have been suspended for more than three

months prior to the date of the announcement.

Operations must be resumed immediately upon

the loan being granted, the committee said.

The committee said qualifying businesses,

whether corporations or smaller companies, must

not have been suspended or removed from the

company register. The businesses must be on

record as paying taxes, particularly income,

commercial and special goods taxes.

The committee will prioritize businesses that

have contributed to the Social Security Fund.

Source: The Irrawaddy

https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanma

r-govt-announces-loan-package-coronavirus-hit-

businesses-key-sectors.html

30 Mar 2020

Myanmar aviation sector expected to become profitable, but more pain ahead first

Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more

profitable future with the number of airlines now

reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand

for domestic air travel expected to catch up with

supply. However, they will have to swallow more

losses in the short term before things get better.

There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,

down from ten three years ago. But even though

there are fewer players now in the market, the

volume of passengers flying domestic remains

below three million, according to government

data.

At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover

the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of

Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The

Myanmar Times in a recent interview.

But profitability is possible in the years ahead,

making it a good time for the remaining airlines to

accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise

on future demand, according to a 2019 report by

the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,

taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With

the additional seats, we can now fly daily

compared to alternate days before. We will also

extend our destinations to include more flights to

Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential

tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.

Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it

upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new

destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,

Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister

airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a

new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its

capacity by 144 passengers.

Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,

said even though the new routes are not yet

profitable, the main aim of adding new

destinations is to expand the airline’s network

and connectivity. “This gives passengers more

options and allows employees to learn new skills

for more expansion in the future,” he said.

Source: Myanmar Timeshttps://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html

27 Jan 2020


https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-govt-announces-loan-package-coronavirus-hit-businesses-key-sectors.html

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html

05 April 2020



More woes for Myanmar garment industry as EU cancels orders

Update: More garment factories stopped

operations in Myanmar as European Union

countries, a major export market, cancelled

orders last week amid the spread of the COVID-

19 pandemic, a senior industry leader said.

U Myint Soe, chair of Myanmar Garment

Manufacturers Association (MGMA), said the EU

market accounts for 70 percent of the country’s

garment export.

“All operations of the factories that have

accepted orders from the EU have stopped. I

don’t know how we will deal with this issue,” he

said.

The bad news came as the supply of raw

materials from China re-started to flow back into

the country after three months of stoppage due

to the virus outbreak.

“We began to receive raw materials from China.

We have no more raw materials problem. Now,

the EU no longer accepts our garment exports. It

happened since last week,” U Myint Soe said.

“As COVID-19 spread in Europe, all shops

closed there. Garment factories in Myanmar face

difficulty as they told us not to make the clothes,

which they have bought, and not to ship them.

This problem is big. That’s why, factories have

shut down and reduced their number of workers,”

he added.

Among the garment companies that suffered

cancellations of orders are the Global Apparel

Textile Myanmar Co. Ltd, which no longer has

problems with the supply of raw materials but left

with huge inventory due to cancelled purchase

orders.

Daw Sandar Min, a Yangon regional MP, said

another garment firm, the Lat War Co. Ltd., is

stuck with 500,000 pieces of garments after a

European buyer cancelled the order. Other

companies in the same predicaments are Gold

Emperor, Hong Text, and Myanmar Irrawaddy.

The shutdown of more garment factories led to

more labour unrest, including the strike at the

Grand Enterprises Garment Co. Ltd at Yangon’s

East Dagon Industrial Zone on Thursday as the

company announced a layoff of thousands of

workers.

Source: Myanmar Times

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/more-woes-

myanmar-garment-industry-eu-cancels-

orders.html

29 Mar 2020

Govt to go fully online for import, export licences in Myanmar

The Ministry of Commerce has announced that it

will fully adopt online procedures for issuing

import and export permits for more than 100

types of goods starting April 1, 2020, as part of

efforts to implement social distancing to stop the

spread of COVID-19 in Myanmar.

“The move is being made with the aim of

avoiding crowded situations, but there will be

difficulties in implementing it at first. We’ll also

need to improve the fully online system to cope,”

said U Khin Maung Lwin, assistant secretary at

the Ministry of Commerce.

“We’re facing a great health risk, so the move is

good for companies as well as in terms of

prevention of the disease, and hopefully it will

speed up the issuance of the permits,” said U

San Main, a business owner.

“Although the application of permits online is not

available for all types of goods, most of the

essential ones can be applied for online. It is a

good sign as the country is trying to help reduce

the spread of the disease,” he said, voicing

support for the move.

Of 91 sections in the internationally standardised

system of names and numbers to classify traded

products called the Harmonised Commodity

Description and Coding System, or Harmonised

System (HS), fully online applications for 73

began on April 1. Essential goods such as

pharmaceutical products, medical supplies for

hospitals, consumer goods, chemical fertilisers,

palm oil, and oil products, among others, are

included in the categories.

According to the Ministry of Commerce,

companies will be able to fill in application forms

at the website www.myanmartrade.com.mm.

A spokesperson for the ministry said companies

will have to register first to use the system and

payments will be through Myanmar Citizen

Bank’s (MCB) ecommerce system for the time

being even as and efforts are being made for

payments through the Myanmar Payment Union

ecommerce system.

Relevant electronic data will be sent to the

Customs Department to carry out a trial run with

of the Myanmar Automated Cargo Clearance

System (MACCS) for the permits issued online.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/govt-go-fully-

online-importexport-licences.html

02 Apr 2020


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/more-woes-myanmar-garment-industry-eu-cancels-orders.html

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/govt-go-fully-online-importexport-licences.html

05 April 2020



Myanmar Investments agrees to sell microfinance firm MFIL to Thailand’s Thitikorn

LSE-listed investment firm Myanmar Investments

International (MIL) and other shareholders of

Myanmar Finance International Limited (MFIL)

have accepted an offer to sell the microfinance

business to Thai consumer finance firm Thitikorn.

MIL currently holds a 37.5 per cent stake in

MFIL.

Thitikorn is expected to seek shareholder

approval for the deal on 23 April, MIL said.

Regulatory approval would normally take

between two and six months to obtain, excluding

any delay caused by COVID-19.

“The minimum consideration for this transaction

will be calculated based on a pre-agreed formula

of 2 times the audited book value of MFIL at

closing once these conditions have been

satisfied,” MIL said in a stock exchange filing.

“This sale is expected to lead to a modest uplift

in the Net Asset Value of MIL once it completes,”

it added.

The microfinance company was MIL’s first

investment in 2014. In 2015, Norwegian

development finance institution Norfund picked

up a 25 per cent stake in the microfinance firm.

The business is profitable, according to MIL.

MIL has been seeking to dispose of all of its

holdings as the firm plans to wind down its

operations. The investment firm attributed the

decision to difficulties in raising capital and

identifying suitable investments in Myanmar,

given the slow pace of reform in the country and

continued economic volatility.

In December 2019, MIL sold its shares in

Medicare International Health and Beauty for $1

million. It had invested $895,000 in Medicare in

2017 for a 47.1 per cent stake.

MIL’s largest investment to date is $21 million in

telecom tower firm AP Towers. The recent

merger of Apollo Towers and Pan Asia Towers

into AP Towers “is expected to produce a more

efficient and profitable combined investment with

greater prospects for an eventual liquidity event

for shareholders,” MIL said.

MIL estimated the value of its shareholding in AP

Towers was $32 million as at the end of

September 2019.

Source: Deal Street Asia

https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/myanmar-

investments-mfil-thitikorn-182817/

03 Apr 2020

Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank cuts interest rates

The Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank

has announced that it will cut its interest rates on

loans and savings accounts effective April 1.

The bank said in a statement that it is cutting

interest on agricultural loans from 8 percent to

7pc, interest on Japan International Cooperation

Agency two-step loans from 8pc to 6.9pc, and

interest on Myanmar Economic Bank two-step

loans from 9pc to 8pc.

“We thank the bank for charging lower rates. We

welcome the move, but the interest rate

reduction isn’t going to make much difference to

the lives of farmers immediately. It will neither

improve the lives of the farmers nor help

overcome the problems they are now facing. We

face difficulties paying the interest whether it is

8pc or 6pc,” said U Thein Aung, chair of Farmers

Development Association.

In reality, what farmers need most are longer-

term loans, he added.

The bank also used to give 8pc interest on

farmers’ savings accounts, but the bank has cut

the rate has now been cut to 6.5 pc.

The bank, established 73 years ago, loans

totalling of K1.74 trillion to farmers in fiscal

2018/19.

Applicants are provided loans sufficient to plant

10 acres of agricultural land and are issued

during Myanmar’s three climactic seasons –

monsoon, winter, and pre-monsoon.

The bank issues loans for a total of 22 types of

crops, ranging from K150,000 per acre of rice, to

K100,000 per acre for sugarcane.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-

agricultural-development-bank-cuts-interest-

rates.html

03 Apr 2020


https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/myanmar-investments-mfil-thitikorn-182817/

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-agricultural-development-bank-cuts-interest-rates.html

05 April 2020

Infrastructure

8

05 April 2020


Japan to provide ¥47 billion for two infrastructure projects

The Japan International Cooperation Agency

(JICA) and Myanmar’s government on Tuesday

agreed to official development assistance (ODA)

loans to contribute to economic and social

development through improvements to the

railway system and electricity supply.

JICA signed the loan agreements with the

government to provide the ODA loans of up to a

total of ¥47.94 billion (K607.3 billion) for the two

projects.

Of the total, ¥40.6 billion will be used for the first

phase of the Yangon-Mandalay Railway

Improvement Project, while ¥7.33 billion will be

for a third phase of infrastructure development in

the Thilawa Special Economic Zone.

The Yangon-Mandalay Railway Improvement

Project is to improve the capacity of railway

transportation by rehabilitating and modernising

the existing railway and related facilities from

Yangon to Toungoo in part of the Yangon-

Mandalay Railway thereby contributing to the

economic development of Myanmar. The

project’s construction work is expected to be

completed by 2023.

The infrastructure development in Thilawa is to

strengthen the electricity supply capacity of

Myanmar by additionally installing combined

cycle facilities at the Thilawa Thermal Power

Plant in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone,

thereby contributing to economic and social

development. The project is expected to be

completed in 2024.

The Japanese development agency will continue

to support Myanmar’s infrastructure and

economic development, Sakakura Noriji, the new

chief representative at JICA Myanmar, said last

week.

JICA will continue to promote private investment,

infrastructure development, education and

human resource development in Myanmar,

Sakakura Noriji, Noriji said.

In January, JICA signed loan agreements

totalling ¥120.9 billion yen with Myanmar for four

projects - the Yangon Sewerage System

Development Project, Yangon Urban

Development Project, Urban Area Power

Distribution Improvement Project, and Regional

Infrastructure Improvement Project.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/japan-provide-

y47-billion-two-infrastructure-projects.html

02 Apr 2020













data.

































aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-

more-pain-ahead-first.html

27 Jan 2020

Infrastructure TransportUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/japan-provide-y47-billion-two-infrastructure-projects.html


05 April 2020


Smart parking project temporarily suspended

The pilot project for Yangon’s smart parking

system has been suspended temporarily due to

the outbreak of COVID-19, said Daw May Maw

Thway, a Yangon City Development Committee

(YCDC) member.

“We suspended the project due to health and

safety reasons during the COVID-19 outbreak,

as people were supposed to volunteer for the

project. We’ll be able to resume the smart

parking project only when the situation returns to

normal,” said Daw May May Thwal.

The smart parking pilot project was scheduled to

run from March 22 to April 4, but was suspended

after two days on March 24.

The smart parking system was implemented in

Lanmadaw, Latha, Pabaedan, Kyauktada,

Botahtaung and Pazundaung townships. An

expression of interest notice was issued earlier

this year, and three companies out of a total of

26 were selected to take part in the pilot

programme.

The parking fees can be paid by cash or via an

online payment system. There are three ways to

pay for parking fees, by using the following apps:

Parking Yangon app, and the Smart

Parking@Yangon and Flowbird apps.

Fees range from K200 to K500 per hour

according to the designated parking spaces,

which are demarcated with either red, yellow or

green lines. The hourly fees are also displayed

on the signboards of each street corner.

Availability of spaces can also be checked using

the parking apps, and the streets will be

monitored to check that drivers are parking

correctly.

Parking officials will collect fees from motorists,

including governmental vehicles, in six downtown

townships in Yangon to reduce traffic congestion,

according to an announcement made by the

YCDC on March 3.

The parking fee collection system was

suspended under the U Thein Sein

administration, and has been replaced by the

current smart parking system.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/smart-parking-

project-temporarily-suspended.html

30 Mar 2020

Infrastructure Transport

SJ Myanmar Secures 6th Contract to Manage Jetty Construction

Surbana Jurong Myanmar has secured its sixth

project to manage a jetty construction in

Myanmar.Wilmar Myanmar Port Terminal

(Thilawa) Limited commissioned SJ Myanmar to

oversee the construction of the extension of the

Wilmar Jetty in Thilawa, Yangon. The project

aimed to include loading and barge platforms to

the existing jetty structure. The upgrade

enhanced the port terminal’s performance by

enabling it to dock bulk carriers, oil tankers and

even river barges.

Since 2017, SJ Myanmar has been working

closely with various developers and contractors

in the design and construction supervision of

jetties, tank farms and related facilities. This

recent win showed once again a strong

recognition of SJ’s competency in the oil and gas

sector in Myanmar.

Source: Consult Myanmar

https://consult-myanmar.com/2020/03/31/sj-

myanmar-secures-6th-contract-to-manage-jetty-

construction/

31 Mar 2020


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/smart-parking-project-temporarily-suspended.html

https://consult-myanmar.com/2020/03/31/sj-myanmar-secures-6th-contract-to-manage-jetty-construction/

05 April 2020


Chinese consortium may avoid fines despite missing emergency power deadline

Three projects totaling 900 megawatts that were

due to go live on April 3 remain weeks, possibly

months, away from completion. But thanks to

COVID-19 and the apparent absence of a signed

contract, the developers may avoid the heavy

fines.

YANGON — A Chinese consortium investing

US$800 million in emergency power projects

may escape heavy fines for failing to complete its

projects on time by claiming to have been

hampered by the COVID-19 global pandemic,

officials say.

It is unclear whether the deadlines are even

legally binding, one official told Frontier, as the

consortium may not have signed a final contract

with the ministry despite having already invested

hundreds of millions of dollars in the projects.

Following a controversial tender, three liquefied-

natural-gas-to-power projects – a 400-megawatt

plant at Thaketa, 350MW plant at Thanlyin and

150MW plant at Kyaukphyu – were awarded in

September last year to a consortium comprising

China’s state-owned China National Technical

Import and Export Corporation and Hong Kong-

listed VPower, with RGK+Z&A Group as a local

partner.

Under the terms of the tender, the projects were

due to begin producing power on April 3 – 210

days after the consortium receive letters of

agreement from the Ministry of Electricity and

Energy – or pay fines of K200 million a day for

Thaketa, K180 million for Thanlyin and K30

million for Kyaukphyu, a combined total of almost

US$300,000 a day.

However, the projects remain weeks and

possibly months away from completion. When

Frontier visited the consortium’s Thilawa project

site – from where liquefied natural gas will be

offloaded for use at both Thanlyin and Thaketa –

on April 2, there were few workers present and

key infrastructure, including the jetty, remained

incomplete.

Ministry officials have previously insisted to

Frontier that they would fine the consortium if it

missed the deadline, but that now appears in

doubt.

Source: Frontier Myanmar

https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/chinese-

consortium-may-avoid-fines-despite-missing-

emergency-power-deadline

04 Apr 2020

Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in four years

Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over

US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in

the past four years to strengthen its position on

the local taxi market, a senior company official

said Tuesday.

Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the

company will continue investing to further

improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.

“Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,

not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will

continue investing in expansion and partnerships

to better the platform and expand the

ecosystem.”

Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July

2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call

service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab

Food.

The company’s taxi service is popular and

experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily

rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding

more than 196,000 more precise location points

in the Grab application.

The number of businesses using Grab for

Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular

destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,

Junction City, and Yangon Airport.

Grab will expand its services to other key cities

across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood

will be launched for local restaurants and

transportation partners in Mandalay this year.

“Although food delivery is increasing locally, it

still lags behind other countries. We have many

opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of

GrabFood Myanmar.

Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar

soon.

In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane

(three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay

city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.

More than 166 million people in 339 cities in

Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,

Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia

have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile

phones. – Translated





12 Feb 2020

Infrastructure EnergyUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/chinese-consortium-may-avoid-fines-despite-missing-emergency-power-deadline


05 April 2020


Power shift

Energy is vital for countries seeking to power and

sustain economic growth. But as the world feels

the heat of climate change, the energy industry is

under pressure to undertake a major transition.

Somehow, it must find ways to ensure that

consumption can continue without interruption

but with far fewer negative consequences for the

environment.

Rapid technological advances across a variety of

industries, meanwhile, are enabling society's

quest for sustainability at an unprecedented

pace. The resulting transition is causing an

epochal shift in how the world's population

consumes energy and natural resources.

Asia has far outpaced the rest of the world in

energy consumption to serve its rising prosperity.

But a growing desire for cleaner air is pushing

demand for greener energy. Natural gas, mainly

in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is seen

as one of the best options to serve the transition,

say industry executives.

"One of the biggest challenges our industry is

facing is the need to balance rising energy

demand, while reducing the environmental

impact from our carbon footprint," said

Phongsthorn Thavisin, president and CEO of

PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP),

Thailand's largest oil and gas explorer.

Among the fossil fuels that will still account for

almost 80% of total energy demand in 2040,

natural gas is showing the highest growth and

becoming a key to a clean energy transition, he

said at the Future Energy Asia 2020 forum in

Bangkok last month.

"More challenges are arising from oil-price

volatility from geopolitical tensions, trade

conflicts, shale oil production and even from the

coronavirus outbreak which has had such a

significant impact on energy consumption as well

as the global economy," he added.

LNG is much cleaner than diesel and other fossil

fuels in terms of carbon emissions, said Alan

Lau, president director of PT Anglo Euro Energi

Indonesia and a member of the United Nations

Economic Commission for Europe.

"However, according to some studies,

processing LNG at processing plants still emits

10% of carbon into the environment," he told

Asia Focus on the sidelines of the three-day

energy event.

Source: Bangkok Post

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1874634

/power-shift

09 Mar 2020

Infrastructure EnergyUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1874634/power-shift

05 April 2020


Construction contraction due to virus outbreak

Industry insiders say that the country’s

construction sector has slowed by around 30

percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are construction projects that have been

suspended due to a shortage of imported

building materials and some have been stopped

temporarily due to cash flow problems. About

70pc of projects are still running as usual. The

situation is not so bad yet,” Myanmar

Construction Entrepreneurs Federation (MCEF)

Chair U Shein Win told The Myanmar Times.

However, if the situation worsens or drags on

longer than expected, more construction projects

may stop, he warned.

“Health is the most important thing. Construction

projects have to stop if the government calls a

halt on projects as a precaution to stop the

spread of the virus,” said U Shein Win.

Workers are allowed to return to their hometowns

if they want and construction projects are

operating with half their workforce on a rotational

basis, said U Ye Lin the head of the Danu San

Yar Construction company.

“Like other types of businesses, construction

companies are making their workforce work on a

rotational basis to preserve jobs and to keep the

business running,” U Ye Lin said.

Many of the construction business owners

spoken to said they are waiting for new

government tenders while also hoping that the

completion deadlines for current contracts will be

loosened as efforts to stop the spread of the

virus will also slow construction work.

“To operate the business while the workers in the

projects are worried is not easy. Tenders need to

be completed on a deadline so we dare not stop

projects. Everything may be okay if the

government postpones deadline for completion,”

MCEF general secretary U Myo Myint said,

adding that transportation is being provided by

companies so that workers don’t have to take

public transport.

“The central bank has reduced interest rates but

it hasn’t changed the situation yet. Given the

current conditions, people are holding on to their

money so there have been some delays in

payment to construction companies. In the

meantime, workers still have to be paid. To

prevent job losses, the government has to take

decisive action,” said U Myo Myint.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/construction-

contraction-due-virus-outbreak.html

31 Mar 2020






said Tuesday.








ecosystem.”




Food.

















GrabFood Myanmar.


soon.













12 Feb 2020

Infrastructure Real EstateUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/construction-contraction-due-virus-outbreak.html


05 April 2020


03 Mar 2020

South Korean govt vows to see projects through in Myanmar

South Korea sees “immense potential” in

Myanmar as the last frontier market in the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

under President Moon Jae-In’s New Southern

Policy.

Though the coronavirus poses an unforeseen

challenge for South Korean businesses here,

they have confidence that the economic setbacks

would not last, South Korean Ambassador to

Myanmar Lee Sang-hwa said in a recent

interview.

South Korea had the most confirmed COVID-19

cases outside China in late February. However,

by setting up hundreds of drive-thru testing

clinics across the country in a short period of

time, it was soon able to bring the outbreak

under control. Now the number of coronavirus

cases in South Korea has been surpassed by

several western countries.

“Aggressive and extensive testing” is crucial, Lee

said. The drive-thru testing clinics helped

conduct up to 20,000 tests per day. The

government then put the people who tested

positive in isolation and treated them in a timely

manner to prevent further spread.

“As soon as we overcome this [challenge], we

will expedite all cooperation projects to bring

them back on track,” he added.

In a recent interview, he spoke about South

Korea’s coronavirus experience, the status of its

investments, and three major projects led by his

country in Myanmar:

What can Myanmar learn from South Korea’s

experience with COVID-19?

The South Korean government’s strategy

consists of the three Ts – test, trace and treat –

plus civic participation.

Robust testing is the core of our strategy.

Besides drive-through testing stations that allow

specimen collection in less than 10 minutes

without drivers needing to get out of their

vehicles, private hospitals also have walk-

through testing stations where medical workers

are protected behind clear acrylic panels as they

collect specimens from people.

The government is vigorously tracking and

testing those who have been in contact with

confirmed cases, utilising credit card transaction

histories, CCTV footage, and mobile phone GPS

data when necessary within the scope of the

Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/south-korean-

govt-vows-see-projects-through-myanmar.html

02 Apr 2020

Infrastructure Real Estate

Winners and losers at the Thilawa SEZ

The Thilawa Special Economic Zone is one of

the country’s most successful projects, but some

relocated land users say they deserved better

compensation.

IN THE middle of the Bago River between

Yangon’s Thaketa and Thanlyin townships, the

tall piers of a new Japanese-funded bridge are

slowly emerging.

The existing 2.2-kilometre long bridge, which was

built with financial and technical assistance from

China between 1988 and 1993, is often heavily

congested, particularly during the morning and

even peak hours.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, the

new bridge reflects the fact that Thanlyin is no

longer a sleepy backwater. This is largely thanks

to the Japanese-backed Thilawa Special

Economic Zone, which continues to expand,

making the old bridge a bottleneck of connectivity

between the commercial capital and the zone.

But the new bridge is far from the only

improvement to Thanlyin’s infrastructure and

connectivity.

At the opening ceremony for a new four-lane

highway between the bridge and the SEZ on

February 21, Yangon Region Chief Minister U

Phyo Min Thein observed it was one of the best

roads in the country. Any driver who travels

regularly between Thanlyin and the SEZ would

certainly agree.

“Thanlyin also has the most developed and

successful economic industrial zone outside of

the Yangon metropolitan area,” Phyo Min Thein

was quoted as saying by state-run daily The

Global New Light of Myanmar on February 22.

In planning, implementation and management,

the Thilawa SEZ is regarded as one of the

country’s most impressive success stories since

the transition to democracy began in 2011.

Developed by a Myanmar-Japanese consortium,

the SEZ had five factories when its first phase

was officially opened in September 2015. It has

since grown to 117 investments from 19

countries and territories, said Daw Than Than

Thwe, joint secretary (1) of the Thilawa SEZ

Management Committee.

“There are 81 factories operating in the SEZ and

others are under construction,” Than Than Thwe

told Frontier in late February. “Thilawa is

obviously a success story; we should keep it up.”


https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/winners-and-

losers-at-the-thilawa-sez

02 Apr 2020


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/south-korean-govt-vows-see-projects-through-myanmar.html

https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/winners-and-losers-at-the-thilawa-sez

05 April 2020


Purity and Danger, on Yangon’s streets

Mary Douglas’ 1966 book Purity and Danger

illustrates how human societies make sense of

the world by classifying things as “dirty” and

“pure”.

Dirt is not just soil on the ground or mud on our

shoes, she argued. What we think of as “dirt”

changes according to our culture, and over time.

For example, in some Western households it

might be acceptable to wear shoes inside the

house, whereas Asian housewives will shudder

at the thought of not leaving your boots outside

the door. Likewise, spitting on the street is

tolerated in some countries, but elsewhere

“hoiking a loogie” is considered gross and “dirty”.

What is defined as “pure” and “dirty” can also

change within a culture, depending on peoples’

access to knowledge and practices around

hygiene.

Douglas argued that our definitions of “dirt” carry

associations of danger, particularly when things

cross boundaries – between the dirty and the

pure; between the outside and the inside; the

healthy and the sick.

A bit like a virus.

Such a reordering of boundaries seemed to be

taking place on the streets of Yangon this week,

as teams of volunteers worked with city officials

to disinfect the roads in the hope of preventing

the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Public hygiene and COVID-19

Myanmar had no recorded cases of COVID-19

until an announcement by the Ministry of Health

on March 24 – and that’s when things changed.

In her televised address to the nation State

Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi stressed the

importance of hygiene in fighting COVID-19. A

video of her explaining “how to wash your hands”

was produced, and shared among Myanmar’s

many millions of Facebook users.

The streets were soon full of makeshift sinks,

hooked up to municipal water supplies via

Myanmar’s ubiquitous blue PVC piping.

Hand sanitisers appeared everywhere too – on

counters insides shops, beside lottery ticket

displays and outside of monasteries. Inside the

major shopping centers, security guards were

even instructed to spray trolleys and baskets.

In a city where littering and spitting betel quid on

the streets is common, the transformation has

been remarkable. Peoples’ notions of “dirt” have

changed.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/purity-and-

danger-yangons-streets.html

03 Apr 2020






said Tuesday.








ecosystem.”




Food.

















GrabFood Myanmar.


soon.













12 Feb 2020

Infrastructure Waste and WaterUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/purity-and-danger-yangons-streets.html


05 April 2020


Pandemic adds to Chinese infrastructure delays in Myanmar: ICG

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting shock to

the economy are likely to ease pressure on

Myanmar to speed up China’s ambitious but

slow-moving infrastructure programme,

according to a new report by the International

Crisis Group (ICG).

The ICG noted that President Xi Jinping’s visit to

Myanmar in January, when the outbreak was in

its early stages, had already failed to secure the

major acceleration Beijing was hoping for in the

multi-billion dollar China-Myanmar Economic

Corridor (CMEC), which forms a core part of its

global logistics Belt and Road Initiative.

“Uneasiness and lack of capacity within the

Myanmar government, as well as political

sensitivities around Chinese investment, mean

that this trend is likely to continue through at

least November 2020, when Myanmar is

scheduled to hold a general election,” the ICG

says in its 45-page report, Commerce and

Conflict: Navigating Myanmar’s China

Relationship, released by the Brussels-based

think tank on March 30.

Richard Horsey, ICG Myanmar adviser and one

of the report’s authors, told The Myanmar Times:

“Even once the pandemic eases, China and

Myanmar will likely be focused for some time on

addressing the fallout of the crisis, rather than

pressing quickly ahead with previous plans.”

“Certainly there is a perception in Myanmar that

this is a ‘foreign virus’, but public attention is

focusing much less right now on its origin in

China and much more on the risk of returning

Myanmar nationals bringing Covid-19 into the

country,” he added.

Mr Horsey noted that the first few cases

identified in the country were people returning

from Europe and the United States, while large

numbers of Myanmar migrant workers are now

coming back from Thailand.

Key manufacturing, agriculture and tourism

industries in Myanmar have been severely hit by

the pandemic. Factories have been forced to halt

operations while farmers and fruit producers

relying on the China market have suffered huge

losses.

Beyond the immediate economic disruption, the

pandemic has derailed efforts by Daw Aung San

Suu Kyi’s government to boost investments and

growth ahead of parliamentary elections in

November.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/pandemic-adds-

chinese-infrastructure-delays-myanmar-icg.html

30 Mar 2020






said Tuesday.








ecosystem.”




Food.

















GrabFood Myanmar.


soon.













12 Feb 2020

Infrastructure Other InfraUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/pandemic-adds-chinese-infrastructure-delays-myanmar-icg.html


05 April 2020


Telenor follows Myanmar orders to block alleged ‘fake news’ sites

Norway’s Telenor says it will follow Myanmar’s

other mobile operators and comply with the

government’s order to block a list of “fake news”

sites, including prominent ethnic media outlets,

after initially refusing to do so.

Myanmar has directed all four of its mobile

operators to block access to a total of 221

websites, but it has not made a list of the sites

public or clarified the legal basis for the move.

A senior government official was reported as

saying the clampdown was linked to publication

of fake news over the COVID-19 pandemic, but

the sites are said to also include adult content,

child pornography as well as ethnic media outlets

such as Development Media Group and

Narinjara, both based in the restive state of

Rakhine.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications

initially issued a directive to the four telecoms

operators to block 207 specified websites under

Article 77 of the Telecommunications Law,

according to Telenor. On March 23 a further

directive was issued for the blocking of 14 more

websites which the ministry accused of

disseminating misinformation, or “fake news”.

There has been no public statement by the

government or other operators. Telenor, state-

owned MPT, Qatar’s Ooredoo and military-run

Mytel operate in Myanmar.

Telenor said it initially did not comply with the

request to block sites in the category of “fake

news” as it was unable to establish sufficient

legal basis for this part of the request.

But the Norwegian company said that on March

30 it had decided to block a further 67 sites,

bringing the total to 221.

“Telenor has assessed that the risk involved in

not following the directive as regards fake news

is likely to have wider implications in terms of

servicing the public,” the company said, following

talks with the ministry.

Article 77 of the Telecommunications Law allows

the ministry to impose restrictions or bans in an

“emergency situation” out of public interest. The

government has not explained what kind of

emergency it is invoking or how it might extend to

adult content or pornography.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/telenor-follows-

myanmar-orders-block-alleged-fake-news-

sites.html

31 Mar 2020

Infrastructure Other Infra

Five key markets in Yangon closed

The Mingalar Taung Nyunt township COVID-19

Prevention and Control Committee has instructed

shops that sell clothing, shoes and non-essential

things in five markets to close, amid fears of an

outbreak of the Coronavirus. The Mingalar

Market, Yuzana Plaza, Shwe Pyae Sone,

Mingalarmon Market and Shwe Mingalar Markets

were mentioned in the order.

Two cases of COVID-19 were recently reported

in Mingalar Taung Nyunt, and the markets in the

vicinity are to close until April 9.

Shops that sell foods, commodities and

medicines, however, are permitted to remain

open, said U Hla Htay, regional assembly MP

from the Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township

Constituency No. 1.

He said these markets will reopen once the

situation has stabilised, and the period of the

closures may be extended if necessary.

“It is a matter of national interest that we do this.

There might be some people who agree with

us,and others who don’t like it. But our focus is

on the health of all citizens,” U Hla Htay said.

The street market in Mingalar Taung Nyunt was

closed today, and restaurants have also been

instructed to operate on a takeaway only basis.

Betel quid shops also have to close, he added.

“We give notice to the first offenders, and order

them to close. If they violate again, we will take

action in accordance with law. Some shops

opened, yesterday and I myself had them shut

down,” U Hla Htay said.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/five-key-

markets-yangon-closed.html

01 Apr 2020


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/telenor-follows-myanmar-orders-block-alleged-fake-news-sites.html

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/five-key-markets-yangon-closed.html

05 April 2020

Policy and Regulation

18

05 April 2020


Myanmar enacts new insolvency legislation

Myanmar enacted a new insolvency law on

March 25, a month after receiving Parliament

approval.

The new legislation will facilitate the government

in managing and dealing with cases involving

insolvency in Myanmar and is expected to

strengthen the business environment and draw

more foreign investors to the country,

“We are working on linking the Insolvency Law to

the Myanmar Companies Online Registration so

that all registered companies in Myanmar are

covered by the law,” U Thant Sin Lwin, Director

General of the Directorate of Investment and

Company Administration, said.

The law, which has 425 sections, includes

recourse for micro, small and medium-sized

enterprises (MSMEs) and directives related to

cross border insolvency.

It aims to achieve nine objectives, including

compatibility between national law systems and

commerce systems, effective management,

predictability and fairness throughout the process

of insolvency and providing support for MSMEs

facing financial difficulty. It will also provide

protection for local firms entering the

international market by building a framework for

cross border insolvency.

Resolving insolvency is also one of criteria

measured by the World Bank on its Ease of

Doing Business Index. Although Myanmar raised

its ranking on the World Bank’s Doing Business

2020 Report to165th place out of 190 countries

on the index compared to 171st place in 2019,

resolving insolvency was one of the areas in

which improvement is still much needed.

The new law replaces the Yangon Insolvency Act

(1909) and the Myanmar Insolvency Act (1920).

Quek Ling Yi, Partner at Dentons Myanmar, said

though, that the interpretation and actual

implementation of the new law will have to be

guided by directives or notifications issued at a

later juncture.

But she noted that “in light of COVID-19, the

potential decline in market conditions and

consequent rise in bad debts may spur the

authorities to publish the guidelines and

notifications earlier than expected."



enacts-new-insolvency-legislation.html

31 Mar 2020













data.































Source: Myanmar Timeshttps://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html

27 Jan 2020

Policy and RegulationUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-enacts-new-insolvency-legislation.html


05 April 2020


World Bank cuts growth forecast, urges focus on health sector

YANGON — Myanmar is better-placed than most

countries in the region to weather the looming

global economic downturn sparked by the

COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank says, but

needs to focus on deploying resources to the

health sector and softening the blow to

individuals and businesses.

The World Bank has downgraded Myanmar’s

GDP growth forecast for 2019-20 fiscal year to

between 2.0 and 3.0 percent, down from 6.3pc,

but is still anticipating higher growth rates in

Myanmar than most developing economies in the

East Asia and Pacific region.

This is in part because of Myanmar’s strong

performance in the first half of the fiscal year,

from October 1 to March 31, the World Bank

said.

Myanmar’s economy has already been hit by the

effects of the pandemic, with tourism, the

garment sector and agriculture exports all

suffering.

Mr Hans Anand Beck, the World Bank’s chief

economist in Myanmar, said much could be done

to both preserve economic performance and

minimise the human costs of the COVID-19

pandemic.

“It’s critical to look at saving human lives and

minimising the impact of COVID-19 on people,”

he said.

“This means stopping the spread of pandemic

and taking measures to boost spending in health.

It also means providing income support for

households. For businesses, it means deferring

tax payments, making credit available and

generally taking measures to ensure business

continuity.”

Beck said the Myanmar government had already

taken some positive steps to respond to the

health and economic risks posed by COVID-19,

such as the early introduction of social distancing

measures and a stimulus package for

businesses. The government was considering

what further action to take, he said.

“It’s about being innovative to redeploy resources

to the health frontline,” he said, noting that in

other countries factories have been retooled to

produce medical equipment needed for the

health response.


https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/world-bank-cuts-

growth-forecast-urges-focus-on-health-sector

01 Apr 2020

China committed to investing in Myanmar despite COVID-19 pandemic: Ambassador

China will support Myanmar economically and

continue its infrastructure push in the country

despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19,

China’s ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, told

The Myanmar Times during an exclusive

interview.

“Two things have been on my agenda lately

whenever I speak to key ministers and

government officials: responding to the virus, and

cementing the collaboration between China and

Myanmar, especially the agreements signed

during Chinese President’s Xi Jinping’s state visit

in January,” he said.

As the largest trading partner and source of

accumulative FDI in Myanmar, China has a vital

role to play in Myanmar’s economy.

Just last week, the foreign ministry announced

that China would provide US$6.78 million to

Myanmar for 22 projects under the Beijing-led

initiative Mekong-Lancang Cooperation.

More recently, China has reached out to help

Myanmar respond to COVID-19, underscoring

Myanmar’s reliance on its neighbour.

For example, customs clearances in Yunnan

province and other border trading posts have

been eased so that goods from Myanmar are

able to pass into China more efficiently,

ambassador Chen said.

The Ministry of Commerce confirmed recently

that goods are again flowing across the border at

the Muse trade gate, with trade volumes

reaching US$8 to $10 million a day. Earlier in the

year, border trade disruptions had resulted in

over $50 million worth of losses in Myanmar

watermelon exports alone.

On March 17, after weeks of supply chain

disruptions, China Enterprises Chamber of

Commerce arranged to send 15 tonnes of textile

and garment raw materials to Yangon by

chartered flight.

“We also seek to coordinate negotiations

between workers, companies and the

government with an aim to promote mutual

understanding so that all three parties can

overcome the difficulties at this time,”

ambassador Chen said. Many garment factories

in Myanmar are operated by the Chinese.


https://www.mmtimes.com/news/china-

committed-investing-myanmar-despite-covid-19-

pandemic-ambassador.html

30 Mar 2020


https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/world-bank-cuts-growth-forecast-urges-focus-on-health-sector

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/china-committed-investing-myanmar-despite-covid-19-pandemic-ambassador.html

05 April 2020


Stimulus moves win praise, but will they be enough?

The business community has welcomed interest

rate cuts and other stimulus measures aimed at

cushioning the impact of the coronavirus, but

there’s consensus that more needs to be done to

avert business closures and massive job losses.

Recent measures to stimulate the economy from

the government and Central Bank of Myanmar

have received praise from the business

community. Fears remain though that they still

won’t be enough to stop thousands of

businesses from closing and potentially hundreds

of thousands of vulnerable people losing their

jobs.

The most recent measure was announced on

March 24, when the Central Bank of Myanmar

cut its interest rate by 1 percent, to 8.5pc. After

leaving the rate unchanged for more than eight

years, it has now made two cuts in a fortnight,

leaving the deposit rate at 6.5pc and the

collateralised lending rate 11.5pc.

The business community has praised the cuts for

making it cheaper to take out loans at a time

when the economy is in decline because of the

coronavirus pandemic.

Interest cuts are only one of the measures in the

government’s arsenal for tackling the downturn in

the economy.

Since 18 March, the government has also

unveiled an initial stimulus package that includes

a K100 billion (about US$70 million) loan fund,

and has eased deadlines for tax payments and

granted tax exemptions for Myanmar-owned

businesses that have been badly affected by the

global pandemic.

While broadly welcoming the stimulus measures

taken by the government, economists and other

specialists say they do not go far enough to

counter the impact of the downturn, which has

barely begun.

“Cutting the interest rate is a good move but

businesspeople have to borrow to cover their

liabilities, which include the salaries of

employees. It’s quite different in other countries

where governments are helping businesses to

pay their employees rather than letting

businesses fail,” said Dr Soe Tun, a prominent

businessman and executive committee member

of the nation’s peak business body, the Union of

Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce

and Industry.


https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/stimulus-moves-

win-praise-but-will-they-be-enough

27 Mar 2020

In Myanmar, the 'cure' for COVID could be deadlier than the disease

A walk through Yangon’s Chinatown on the

weekend offered little sense of an impending

crisis.

Fruit vendors lined the street, taxis revved and

honked, young couples walked hand-in-hand,

and the outlines of distant high-rises were

smudged by air pollution. The changes were

scattered and easily missed. Latha Township’s

popular Cherry Mann kebab shop only offered

takeaways, but in the next-door teashop

customers were wedged shoulder-to-shoulder,

sharing snacks.

Little by little, though, life is ratcheting down in

the commercial capital. Since the weekend,

township authorities have ordered takeaway-only

service from restaurants, while the Circular

Railway is slashing services and the Shwedagon

pagoda is open for reduced hours. As

businesses shed staff and migrant workers return

to their villages, fearing the sudden imposition of

travel restrictions, the normally crowded streets

are thinning out.

Compared to much of the world in the age of

COVID-19, this no doubt sounds like business as

usual. Even as confirmed cases of the viral

disease have gradually climbed since the first

two were announced late on March 23, the

Myanmar government has been squeamish

about imposing tough measures. Though

international arrivals are halted, people can still

travel fairly freely throughout the country, turn up

to work at their offices, and enjoy happy hour

beers at a range of bars still eager for business.

For many, this squeamishness is perceived as a

cavalier disregard for the lives of the Myanmar

people at a time when governments elsewhere

have imposed stringent lockdowns to slow the

virus, despite the dire economic consequences.

Combined with the miniscule number of tests for

the virus that have been conducted (375 at press

time), this has prompted some analysts to

conclude that the government is in denial about

the danger posed by the virus. Ill-judged

comments by high-level officials about

Myanmar’s reserved cultural norms acting as a

barrier against infection have fed this perception,

as have defensive reactions from citizens to

foreign individuals and entities who have pointed

to a looming disaster.


https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/in-myanmar-

the-cure-for-covid-could-be-deadlier-than-the-

disease

30 Mar 2020


https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/stimulus-moves-win-praise-but-will-they-be-enough

https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/in-myanmar-the-cure-for-covid-could-be-deadlier-than-the-disease

05 April 2020

Tender Opportunities

22

05 April 2020

PwC

Tender Opportunities in Myanmar


Source: World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Consult Myanmar

No Organisation Title Publication Date Closing Date

1 Asian Development Bank Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project - CS-09 Capacity Building and Climate Smart

Agriculture Training Consultants (48409-003)

19-Feb-2020 20-Apr-2020

2 Asian Development Bank Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project - CS-02 Feasibility Studies and Detailed Design

Consultants (FSDDC) (48409-003)

25-Feb-2020 25-Apr-2020

3 Ministry of Electricity and

Energy

National Electrification Project (NEP) – Installation of Distribution Lines and Transformers for Ayeyarwady, Mon

and Bago (West)

06 Mar 2020 06 Apr 2020

4 Yangon City

Development Committee

Request for Expression Of Interest -South East Asia Disaster Risk Management Project 19 Mar 2020 08 Apr 2020

5 Yangon City

Development Committee

Invitation for Prequalification Greater Yangon Water Supply Improvement Project Phase 2 17 Mar 2020 04 May 2020


05 April 2020

MIC Permitted Projects

24

05 April 2020

PwC

MIC Permitted Projects – Meeting (4/2020)


No Name of Company Type of Investment Form of Investment

1HDDES Natural Products (Myanmar) Limited Processing and sales of value added agricultural products Joint venture

2Bel Ga Myanmar Limited Broiler chick parent stock farm Wholly foreign-owned

3 Dongfeng Motor Corporation LimitedAssembling, manufacturing, and sales of motor vehicles Wholly Myanmar-owned

4MCV Terminal Limited

Construction of LNG terminal, providing services of FSU berthing,

regasification of LNG power plantJoin venture

5Proficient Education Company Limited Special education services Joint venture

6 Zwe Ka Bin Land & Cable Car Development Company

LimitedCable care services Wholly Myanmar-owned

Source: DICA


05 April 2020

Upcoming Events

26

05 April 2020

PwC

Upcoming Events


Source: 10times.com, go-Myanmar.com

No Date Location Name of Event Sector Focus Points

1 27-28 Apr 2020 Yangon Myanmar Insurance Summit Banking & Finance “The theme of the conference will be Ushering In the New Growth Wave

to give a quick synoptic overview of the potential in Myanmar while

highlighting the power of strategic alliance and partnership to serve the

needs of the growing market for protection.”

2 12-14 May 2020 Yangon AAPG/EAGE Myanmar Oil & Gas Conference Power and Energy “AAPG/EAGE Myanmar Oil & Gas Conference will provide the

opportunity to understand the significant progress made over the last 16

months and network and share experiences with colleagues. It will cover

areas like Regional Geology & Tectonic Evolution, Depositional Systems

From Source to Sink, Petroleum Systems and Plays, Risk

reduction/management, and Innovation and Emerging Technologies.”

3 20-21 May 2020 Yangon Myanmar Power Development Summit Power and Energy “With a population of around 60 million, Myanmar ranks the lowest in

terms of electrification rate in the ASEAN countries as less than 40% of

its populations have access to electricity. The MPDS is going to invite

around 200 senior representatives from government, power producers

and utilities, investors, banks, law firms and suppliers to discuss the latest

development of Myanmar power industry and share insights into its future

prospects in an quickly evolving global energy mix.”

4 26 - 28 Jun 2020 Yangon Agri Tech Myanmar Agriculture &

Forestry

“The Myanmar International Livestock and Agriculture Show will focus on

the development of the livestock and agriculture sector by educating and

transferring the new technology and introducing new products and

services to the farmers, connecting local business personnel with the

international in their respective fields, and to draw the attention of

investors in the livestock and agriculture sector in Myanmar.”


05 April 2020

PwC

PwC Myanmar


PwC Myanmar helps organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. Our firm comprises of highly qualified local professionals with years of international experience, supported by

domain experts from PwC Singapore; a combination that brings you in-depth, on-the-ground knowledge base while tapping on PwC’s global reach and expertise. We are committed to helping organisations

adapt their commercial interests successfully, transform and develop their operations, solve their business issues, and identify as well as maximise the opportunities they seek.

With the opening of our firm in Yangon on 6 November 2012, PwC Myanmar is a member firm of the PwC Network - comprising of a network of firms (with each being a separate legal entity) in 157

countries with more than 276,000 people, who are dedicated to working together, providing quality services to clients throughout the world.

PwC Service Offerings • Business strategy

• Busy-side due diligence

• Capital projects & infrastructure advisory

• Capital raising

• Corporatisation & Privatisation

• Direct and indirect taxation services

• Governance and controls

• Forensic services

• Incorporation and corporate secretarial services

• IFRS/Financial reporting advisory

• Joint venture & strategic alliance

• IT risk and security

• Post-deal integration

• Mergers and acquisition – sell side transaction support

• Mergers and acquisitions – financial Advisor

• Market entry advisory & market studies

• Stock market listing preparation

• Project assurance

• Pre-deal re-organisation

• Valuations advisory

Transforming Yangon

the Heart of Myanmar

Myanmar Business

Guide

Doing Business in

Yangon

IFRS 16 New Leasing

Standard Tax Updates

Fitting together the

pieces of the

infrastructure puzzle

Our Thought Leadership in Myanmar


© 2020 PricewaterhouseCoopers Myanmar Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Myanmar Co. Ltd., which is a member firm of

PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity. Please see http://www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence PublicationFor further information please contact:

Jennifer Tay

Partner

Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Singapore

+65 8876 9300

[email protected]

Soe Moe Aung

Manager

Deal Advisory, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Myanmar

+95 968 082 3394

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


pwc myanmar weekly business intelligence · 2020-04-06 · pwc myanmar weekly business intelligence...

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