"Board members of a military conglomerate with sweeping export and import operations have served as top customs and port authority officials for decades, a former company director has told Myanmar Now. The President’s Office last week said it would investigate the appointment of two directors from Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) to lead the government’s customs department and the Myanma Port Authority. But the practice, which appears to be a clear conflict of interest, has been going on since the military junta founded MEHL in 1990, retired lieutenant colonel Kyaw Zay Ya told Myanmar Now. “The director-general of customs and the managing director of the port authority have always been on MEHL’s board of directors,” said the former director, who ran the conglomerate’s shares department for 10 years. “But times are different now that this is an elected government … it’s not right,” he added. A panel of United Nations experts has alleged that the military uses MEHL and other companies to enrich itself without civilian oversight and to fund operations that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Having MEHL board members in charge of customs and the country’s shipping ports allows the conglomerate to operate with less government interference. “Things go much more smoothly for the company’s import and export businesses,” said Kyaw Zay Ya, who has also served as a regional MP representing the NLD and is now vice chair of the newly formed People’s Pioneer Party..."