Section 4 | HERE AND NOW abounds as to his longevity in the post.257 However, in a meeting with the media in May 2016, he asserted that at the rank of senior general the constitution allows him to decide on his retirement, and that he intended to continue in service “as long as I am still fit for the post.”258 He represents the security interests and old patronage networks that act as spoilers for the expanded transparency and accountability that universal ICT access can facilitate, particularly in conflict-affected areas. Former parliamentary speaker and chair of the Union Solidarity and Development Party Thura U Shwe Mann is another key player, despite having lost his bid for re-election in 2015. Once considered a contender for president himself,259 he is close to both Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw, and cabinet appointments reportedly reflect his blessing too. He has been appointed to head a commission he created in 2011 while speaker, the union-level Commission for the Assessment of Legal Affairs and Special Issues, a legislative review and advisory body. He is joined on the commission by eleven USDP members thought to be experienced in parliamentary matters but loyal to him personally.260 As described earlier, his son is the founder of the telecom Red Link, which was connected to a corruption scandal involving the MPT in 2013 (see p. 57). The extent to which his commercial ties to the telecom industry or his role in the attempted parliamentary scuttling of the 2014 telecom licensing process will affect efforts to narrow the gender digital divide are not clear. However, it seems likely that the weakened legislative branch undermines the political power base he developed under previous administrations, which could cause fissures in the NLD’s national reconciliation cabinet. Prashanth Parameswaran, “Will Myanmar’s Military Chief Stay On?” Diplomat, February 17, 2016. International Crisis Group, Myanmar’s New Government. Htoo Thant and Ei Ei Toe Lwin, “Thura U Shwe Mann Appointed to Head Own Legislative Commission,” Myanmar Times, February 8, 2016. 260 Ei Ei Toe Lwin, “The Continued Influence of Thura U Shwe Mann,” Myanmar Times, April 6, 2016. 257 258 259 Ending the Gender Digital Divide in Myanmar: A Problem-Driven Political Economy Assessment | 79