Hsan Sint

Hsan Sint (Burmese: ဆန်းဆင့်, also spelt San Sint) is a Burmese politician and former government minister and army general. He was appointed as Minister of Religious Affairs by President Thein Sein in January 2013.^[1] At the time, he was the speaker for the Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw who concurrently serves as one of two Hluttaw members representing Yegyi Township.^[1][2]

Hsan Sint
ဆန်းဆင့်
Minister of Religious Affairs
In office 31 January 2013 – 19 June 2014
Preceded by	Myint Maung
Succeeded by	Soe Win
Speaker of the Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw
In office 31 January 2011 – 31 January 2013
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Tin Soe
Member of the Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw
In office 31 January 2011 – 31 January 2013
Preceded by	Constituency established
Constituency	Yegyi Township
Personal details
Born	1951 (1951) (age 74) Burma
Nationality	Burmese
Political party	Union Solidarity and Development Party
Spouse	Khin Ma Lay
Children	Okkar San Sint
Alma mater	Defence Services Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Myanmar
Branch/service	Myanmar Army
Years of service	-2010
Rank	Major-General

Before retiring to contest the 2010 Burmese general election, Hsan Sint served in the Myanmar Army. He previously held posts as a Military Appointment General and deputy commander of the Yangon Command.^[3][4]

Corruption scandal

Hsan Sint was dismissed as Minister of Religious Affairs on 19 June 2014, for his alleged poor handling of the Mahasantisukha Monastery raid in Yangon, and disagreements with other members of the government.^[5][6][7] That same day, he was charged with corruption, for allegedly mishandling US$10,000 in state funds to be used toward the construction of a pagoda in Lewe Township.^[8][9] On 25 June 2014, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw confirmed a replacement, Soe Win, who was previously deputy minister, to post of Minister of Religious Affairs.^[10]

The Dekkhinathiri District Court rejected his plea bail in July 2014.^[11] On 22 July 2014, Hsan Sint was also charged with sedition.^[8] On 17 October 2014, the court sentenced him to 13 years, with a 100,000 kyat fine.^[12] On 6 April 2015, the Supreme Court of Burma announced it would accept his appeal.^[13]

In 2012, he supported a motion to sack Ayeyarwady Region government and accused Union Solidarity and Development Party vice chairperson Htay Oo of interfering in the dispute. He was warned in 2014 before his corruption scandal for his comments on the need to eliminate corruption among government and parliamentary officials. There are some suggestions that he was a scapegoat for criticism of the government’s role in the Mahasantisukha Buddha Sasana Center raid.^[14][15]

Hsan Sint was released on 24 May 2017, as part of a presidential amnesty for political activists.

Personal life

Hsan Sint was born in 1951.^[16] He is married to Khin Ma Lay, and has a son, Okkar San Sint,^[16] who allegedly owned Thandaw Sint newspaper.^[17]

References

1. Win Ko Ko Latt (4 February 2013). "Hluttaw makes reluctant U San Sint a minister". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
2. Hobson’s Choice : Burma’s 2010 Elections (PDF). 2011. p. 99. ISBN 9789744966728.
3. "More Detail on Military Reshuffle Emerges". The Irrawaddy. 30 August 2010. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
4. Maung Maung Oo (9 May 2001). "Soldiers Seize Impounded Cars". The Irrawaddy. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
5. The Myanmar Times. "Supreme Court agrees to hear U San Sint appeal". mmtimes.com.
6. Cherry Thein; Hsu Hlaing Htun (20 June 2014). "Religious affairs minister was expecting to get axed". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
7. "Minister sacked because he 'refused to follow orders'". The Nation. 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
8. Pyae Thet Phyo (25 July 2014). "U San Sint slapped with additional sedition charge". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
9. Hsu Hlaing Htun (7 July 2014). "U San Sint makes emotional plea for freedom at court hearing". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
10. Ei Ei Toe Lwin (27 June 2014). "MPs agree on religious affairs minister replacement". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
11. Pyae That Phyo (31 July 2014). "U San Sint's bail application rejected". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
12. Pyae Thet Phyo; Ye Mon (17 October 2014). "MPs draft petition after former minister jailed for 13 years". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
13. Aung Kyaw Min (8 April 2015). "Supreme Court agrees to hear U San Sint appeal". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
14. The Myanmar Times. "Religious affairs minister was expecting to get axed". mmtimes.com.
15. The Myanmar Times. "Protests planned for detained U San Sint". mmtimes.com.
16. "COUNCIL COMMON POSITION renewing restrictive measures against Burma/Myanmar". European Union. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
17. Ye Mon (25 July 2014). "Magwe court accepts appeal from reporters". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 12 July 2015.