BANGKOK - Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi urged foreign firms onFriday to invest cautiously in fast-changing Myanmar and givepriority to creating jobs as much as making profits to help defusethe "time bomb" that is the country's high unemployment rate. Speaking during her first trip outside her country in 24 years, theleader of the fight against dictatorship in Myanmar warned against"reckless optimism" about its rapid reforms, which could be easilyundone if not supported by the military. Suu Kyi, 66, said the country, also known as Burma, faced a crisisdue to the number of people without work and urged foreigncompanies to provide jobs and training. Their investments shouldnot fuel corruption or line the pockets only of the business elite. "The proportion of young people unemployed in Burma is extremelyhigh.
That is a time bomb," she said in a speech to the WorldEconomic Forum on East Asia in Bangkok. "Please don't think about how much benefit will come to those whoare investing. I understand investors invest because they hope toprofit from ventures - I agree with that - but our country mustbenefit as much as those who invest. "I want this commitment to mean quite simply jobs - as many jobs aspossible." Millions of people in Myanmar have been forced abroad, many toThailand, Singapore and Malaysia, because of a lack of jobs.
Western sanctions have prevented foreign companies from investingin the country of 60 million people, but most restrictions havebeen suspended in recent months in response to reforms by thequasi-civilian government that took office just over a year ago. The Oxford-educated daughter of Myanmar's slain independenceleader, Aung San, Suu Kyi has received an ecstatic welcome inThailand during a visit that would have been unimaginable 18 monthsago, when she was under house arrest under a military junta. New confidence She spent a total of 15 years in detention before her release inlate 2010 and her venture abroad is one of the clearest signs yetof her confidence in the changes taking place under President TheinSein, a former general in the junta. For years she refused to leave, fearing the generals she waschallenging would not let her back. Led High Bay Lighting
Suu Kyi said she felt Thein Sein was committed to improving thecountry but the extent to which his reforms were irreversibledepended on the military, by far Myanmar's most powerfulinstitution. "I do believe in the sincerity of the president," she said."But Ialso recognise he's not the only person in government and as I keeprepeating, there's the military to be reckoned with." Even if the government was pushing through democratic, social andeconomic reforms, it did not seem interested in overhauling ajudiciary that lacked independence, she said. "Would-be investors in Burma please be warned: even the bestinvestment law will be of no use whatsoever if there are no courtsclean or independent enough to be able to administer those lawsjustly," she said. "So far, we're not aware of any reforms on the judicial front ...Not many in the government seem to agree with this. Recessed Led Downlight Manufacturer
Suu Kyi played down talk of Myanmar being caught up in ageopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China, itsmain ally during decades of isolation, and said she welcomedresponsible investment from any country. "I'm concerned when people say Burma is a battleground for theUnited States and China. It should not be so," she said. "It's imperative we have good relations with our neighbours and atthe same time, we want to open up the country to others interestedin our welfare and helping our country to progress." On a lighter note, Suu Kyi said she was dazzled by Bangkok, aglitzy contrast to Yangon and other big towns in Myanmar, wherechronic power cuts sparked protests last week. "I was completely fascinated by the lights," she said. China Flexible Led Strip Lights
"What wentthrough my mind, is: 'we need an energy policy'.".
That is a time bomb," she said in a speech to the WorldEconomic Forum on East Asia in Bangkok. "Please don't think about how much benefit will come to those whoare investing. I understand investors invest because they hope toprofit from ventures - I agree with that - but our country mustbenefit as much as those who invest. "I want this commitment to mean quite simply jobs - as many jobs aspossible." Millions of people in Myanmar have been forced abroad, many toThailand, Singapore and Malaysia, because of a lack of jobs.
Western sanctions have prevented foreign companies from investingin the country of 60 million people, but most restrictions havebeen suspended in recent months in response to reforms by thequasi-civilian government that took office just over a year ago. The Oxford-educated daughter of Myanmar's slain independenceleader, Aung San, Suu Kyi has received an ecstatic welcome inThailand during a visit that would have been unimaginable 18 monthsago, when she was under house arrest under a military junta. New confidence She spent a total of 15 years in detention before her release inlate 2010 and her venture abroad is one of the clearest signs yetof her confidence in the changes taking place under President TheinSein, a former general in the junta. For years she refused to leave, fearing the generals she waschallenging would not let her back. Led High Bay Lighting
Suu Kyi said she felt Thein Sein was committed to improving thecountry but the extent to which his reforms were irreversibledepended on the military, by far Myanmar's most powerfulinstitution. "I do believe in the sincerity of the president," she said."But Ialso recognise he's not the only person in government and as I keeprepeating, there's the military to be reckoned with." Even if the government was pushing through democratic, social andeconomic reforms, it did not seem interested in overhauling ajudiciary that lacked independence, she said. "Would-be investors in Burma please be warned: even the bestinvestment law will be of no use whatsoever if there are no courtsclean or independent enough to be able to administer those lawsjustly," she said. "So far, we're not aware of any reforms on the judicial front ...Not many in the government seem to agree with this. Recessed Led Downlight Manufacturer
Suu Kyi played down talk of Myanmar being caught up in ageopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China, itsmain ally during decades of isolation, and said she welcomedresponsible investment from any country. "I'm concerned when people say Burma is a battleground for theUnited States and China. It should not be so," she said. "It's imperative we have good relations with our neighbours and atthe same time, we want to open up the country to others interestedin our welfare and helping our country to progress." On a lighter note, Suu Kyi said she was dazzled by Bangkok, aglitzy contrast to Yangon and other big towns in Myanmar, wherechronic power cuts sparked protests last week. "I was completely fascinated by the lights," she said. China Flexible Led Strip Lights
"What wentthrough my mind, is: 'we need an energy policy'.".