The six administrators, three from Paung township and three from Thaton, were reported for ethical violations, including corruption and wrongfully selling village land, according to the Thaton District General Administration Department. After the investigating committee substantiated the allegations, the six officials were terminated.

“The state government instructed us to take action in accordance with the law so we have removed six administrators from office under the Ward or Village-Tract Administration Law,” said U Kyaw Zaw, deputy director of the Thaton District General Administrative Department.

Seven other administrators are also under investigation by the department, following complaints about two administrators from Kyaikto township, four from Paung and one from Bilin, he confirmed. The allegations against the officials include issues over village electricity distribution, agriculture loans, improper land sales and other ethical infractions.

U Aung Kyaw Thu, chair of the Mon State Hluttaw’s Complaint and Appeal Letters Review and Assessment Committee, said most of the complaint letters received involve local administrators behaving poorly.

During a public meeting held the first week of June, Mon State Chief Minister U Aye Zan warned ward and village administrators not to abuse their authority or they would face swift retribution.