T Khun Myat

T Khun Myat (Burmese: တီခွန်မြတ် [tiː kʰʊ̀ɴ mjaʔ]; born: 30 October 1950) is a Burmese politician and lawyer who is currently the Speaker of the Union Assembly, the Joint House and Pyithu Hluttaw, the lower house of the Myanmar parliament. In both 2010 election and 2015 election, he contested and won the Kutkai Township constituency for a seat in the country's lower house.[1][2]

His Excellency

T Khun Myat
တီခွန်မြတ်
4th Speaker of the Assembly of the Union
Assumed office
1 August 2018
DeputyTun Tun Hein
Preceded byMahn Win Khine Than
3rd Speaker of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
22 March 2018
DeputyTun Tun Hein
Preceded byWin Myint
2nd Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
1 February 2016 – 22 March 2018
Preceded byNanda Kyaw Swa
Succeeded byTun Tun Hein
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
31 January 2011
Preceded byConstituency established
ConstituencyKutkai Township
Leader of People’s Militia Forces in Kutkai Township
In office
1990–2010
Director of Office of the Attorney General
In office
1990–2010
Personal details
Born (1950-10-30) 30 October 1950
NationalityMyanmar
Political partyIndependent (2016–present) Union Solidarity and Development Party (2010–2016)
Spouse(s)Yin May
ParentsT Khun Gaung, Phaw Jan Htu
ResidenceKutkai Township
OccupationLawyer, government servant, militia leader, politician

Background

T Khun Myat is an ethnic Kachin and descendant of a prominent Kachin traditional ruling Duwa family, the "T" at the beginning of his name comes from his family clan name Tangbau.[1] He is a Christian.

Career

T Khun Myat served as the legal director at the Office of the Attorney General as well as the leader of People's Militia Forces in Kutkai Township under the control of Burmese Army between 1990 and 2010. He was involved in the commission drafting the constitution in 2007 and the commission of 2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum. He also served as the executive member of Union Solidarity and Development Party for northern Shan State.[3][2]

He was elected as a member of the Pyithu Hluttaw in the 2010 general elections for the Shan State constituency of Kutkai.

He was also chair of the Committee on Bills in the Lower House (2011–16), a body tasked with drafting new legislation and amending or repealing laws considered out of date.[4][1]

Along with the other allies of Shwe Mann, T Khun Myatt was sacked from the Union Solidarity and Development Party.[5]

Following the resignation of Win Myint as speaker of the House of Representatives, T Khun Myatt was elected by the Pyithu Hluttaw as the next speaker. He was sworn in on 22 March 2018.[6] During the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état on 1 February, T Khun Myat was placed under house arrest by the Myanmar Armed Forces.[7]

Drug controversy

T Khun Myat was the former leader of a militia in Kutkai Township and accused of involvement in illicit drug trade and money laundering.[8] He had been a shareholder in the now-defunct Myanmar May Flower Bank, which was abolished due to money laundering in the illicit drugs industry. He has denied any accusation of his involvement in the drug trade.[1][9][3][2]

References
  1. "USDP Incumbents Bring Guns, Alleged Drug Ties to 2015 Race". The Irrawaddy.
  2. "The drug war in Myanmar's mountains". IRIN.
  3. "NLD confirms parliament speakers; Nominee for deputy parliament speaker T Khun Myat unclear from opium".
  4. "People's Assembly – Committees – Parliament Watch – ALTSEAN Burma".
  5. Frontier. "T Khun Myat: Who is the new Pyithu speaker?". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  6. Frontier. "T Khun Myat: Who is the new Pyithu speaker?". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  7. "Recent Arrest List" (PDF). Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. 4 February 2021.
  8. "Myanmar Military Seizes US$64M of Drugs in Shan State". The Irrawaddy. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  9. "NLD claims to have monitored everyone from Shan state including T Khun Myat since 2014".
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