Myanmar Coup, These Are The Names Of The Myanmar Military's Choice Of New Cabinet Ministers

Myanmar military leader General Min Aung Hlaing (Source: True News Information Unit via myanmar-now.org)

JAKARTA - The Myanmar military moved quickly after carrying out the takeover of power from Myanmar Leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar President Win Myint on Monday. One of them is dismissing 24 ministers and forming a new cabinet.

Launching The Irrawaddy, the Myanmar military formed a new cabinet composed mostly of generals and former military officials along with several members of its political proxy party, the United Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

The position of Minister of Home Affairs was entrusted to Lieutenant General Soe Htut. Then, the position of Minister of Defense was held by General Mya Tun Oo and the Minister for Border Affairs was handed over to Lieutenant General Tun Tun Naing. These three positions were previously under Myanmar's military rule.

The post of Foreign Minister previously held by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was given to U Wunna Maung Lwin, a member of the USDP Central Executive Committee who lost the November 8 election. He held the same position under the U Thein Sein Government from 2011-2016.

U Win Shein, another unsuccessful USDP candidate and former military officer, was appointed Minister of Planning, Finance and Industry. He is the Minister of Finance and Revenue under U Thein Sein.

The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, previously led by U Thaung Tun, was entrusted to U Aung Naing Oo who was also a former military officer.

Next, the former military officer and chief political adviser for the Presidential Office under U Thein Sein, U Ko Ko Hlaing, was entrusted with being the Minister for International Cooperation previously held by U Kyaw Tin.

Author and former editor U Pe Myint has been replaced by U Chit Naing as Minister of State Information. The new minister is a former military officer who writes under the pseudonym Chit Naing (Psychology).

There are also U Ko Ko and U Myint Kyaing who are trusted as the Minister of Religious Affairs and the Minister of Manpower Affairs respectively.

Finally, a figure who is known as the leader of Myanmar to fight COVID-19, Dr. Myint Htwe, replaced by his former subordinate Dr. Thet Kaing Win as Minister of Health and Sports.