MyoTaw: Public Criticizes Min Aung Hlaing for Attending Wazira Theater Opening Like a President

Min Aung Hlaing criticized by public for acting like a president at Wazira Theater opening ceremony

July 27

The nearly century-old Wazira Cinema, located on Bogyoke Aung San Road in Kyauktada Township, Yangon, was renovated and reopened as an international-standard honor theater on the morning of July 27, with coup president Min Aung Hlaing and union ministers in attendance.

The opening ceremony included ribbon-cutting by departmental officials, sprinkling scented water on the commemorative plaque, delivering congratulatory speeches, and performances by art associations. The cinema, built in 1923, was reportedly restored to its original Beaux Arts architectural features.

However, the public is strongly criticizing the holding of such ceremonial openings amid soaring commodity prices and livelihood crises that are making life difficult for ordinary citizens.

"The main needs and happiness of the people right now are not these things. It's about lowering daily food prices and ensuring food security. As a military leader who has taken office without being unanimously elected, he is doing things like this just to show that the country is prosperous and looking good in the eyes of the international community," a 41-year-old woman from Yangon told MyoTaw.

Since the military coup, amid widespread hardships, the public is criticizing the continuous creation of image-boosting events rather than effectively addressing basic livelihood issues, calling it an action that doesn't match the wounds.

"All the roads are closed and there's heavy security. It's become difficult to get around. His visit seems to bring more harm than good. If they really care about the people, they should do something about the egg prices being 600-700 kyats each and bring down commodity prices. Stop forcing young people into conscription and sending them to the frontlines. He's acting like a president," a 30-year-old youth from Kyauktada Township told MyoTaw.

The coup military had previously used the Manila ASEAN meeting as a pretext to create a facade of peace negotiations with ethnic groups and an impression that a normal government would emerge after elections, preparing to return to the ASEAN table.

However, at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting that concluded on July 21, the coup military's election and government legitimacy were completely unrecognized, and even the ASEAN special envoy himself stated that it was still far off for the military leaders to return to ASEAN, marking a failure in diplomatic efforts.

MyoTaw News Channel