Min Aung Hlaing has awarded a first-class technology excellence award to Colonel General Myat Min Oo, Director of the Military Information and Technology Department, who helped enable the military coup by falsely claiming irregularities in the 2020 election voter lists. The award was presented at the military headquarters in Naypyidaw on March 13, with an award ceremony held on March 16. Colonel General Myat Min Oo was one of the key figures who initially pushed for Min Aung Hlaing’s military coup.
Colonel General Myat Min Oo collaborated with U Thaung Aye, a USDP representative from Pyawbwe, to illegally inspect voter lists in Pyawbwe township after the National League for Democracy’s landslide victory in the 2020 election. He then falsely reported to Min Aung Hlaing that there were irregularities in the voter lists, which led to nationwide voter list inspections. This created the pretext of electoral fraud that was used to violently seize state power. A graduate of the 36th intake of the Defense Services Academy, Myat Min Oo had hoped to be appointed as Minister of Transport and Communications or Minister of Science and Technology after the coup, but these appointments did not materialize. However, he has earned the trust of Deputy Coup Leader Soe Win and plays a key role in the Immigration Department’s e-ID project. He also has contracts to supply computers and technology equipment to the military council at significant markups. Currently, he leads technology cooperation initiatives with Russia.
Colonel General Myat Min Oo has a wife and two children – one son and one daughter. They previously lived in Myenigone Sanchaung but relocated to the military headquarters compound in Naypyidaw after the coup due to security concerns. Before the coup, he was known for not following military regulations requiring officers’ wives to live on base, instead living alone and frequently visiting KTV massage parlors outside of office hours. As Director of the Military Information and Technology Department, he continues to play a crucial role in supporting the military council and Min Aung Hlaing’s extended rule, making him a historical perpetrator of war crimes.
