Min Aung Hlaing, leader of the Myanmar military council, in his televised speech on 1 November, urged Myanmar citizens to reduce oil consumption and change food consumption patterns for the benefit of the country’s economy.
“I urge Myanmar people to reduce oil consumption and use public transportation such as trains and buses instead of using the private car to help the country’s economy,” Military council’s leader, Min Aung Hlaing, said during his speech on 1 November.
The majority of public transportation sectors, including express and city buses, and railway transportation in Myanmar are either owned or operated by Myanmar military-owned businesses and cronies closed to top military generals.
Since February’s coup, those military-owned businesses have suffered heavy losses as they become the prime targets of western’s economic sanctions and armed attacks of the anti-coup resistance fighters.
On 31 October, 20 YBS city bus lines owned by the grandson of former dictator Ne Win were destroyed using explosive devices by an unidentified anti-coup resistance group.
In addition to insecurity, the majority of railways workers across the country have joined Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), making railway transportation impossible to operate.
“Myanmar people have a culture of eating rice, but this eating pattern has to change. I urge citizens to eat more nutritious meals such as fish and beef,” he added in the speech.
“This speech like adding fuel to the fire, it shows how selfish and stupid he has always been,” someone commented under the video clip of speech shared on Facebook.
The military’s coup early this year has worsened the already fragile economy of Myanmar due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
