CCTV systems in Myanmar Back to contents 43 CCTV surveillance system project is reportedly expected to cost around MMK 1.9 billion (about USD 1.25 million),85 the project falls under Directive No. 1/2017 Article 10(c) which requires the tender to be announced at least twice in state-owned newspapers one month before the tender opening date, on relevant department’s notice boards and, if possible, on the ministry’s website. However, these requirements were not met. The lack of information published on the procurement process for this project highlights the opaqueness of the decision-making process in deploying CCTV systems. While tenders for projects related to purchasing office furniture, printers, and the construction of buildings are somewhat transparent and publicised, various government departments or the ministries in Myanmar have traditionally selected a handful of companies to implement certain projects such as e-government-related initiatives, including GPS tracking systems and CCTVs. A source close to Naung Yoe Technologies disclosed that the company hired former generals, which resulted in the company winning tenders for government projects, including the installation of Naypyidaw CCTV networks and the command-and-control centre.86 These companies normally include those that have little to no credibility, as well as military-owned companies or those that have close relationships with the government. For interested individuals or companies other than those who enjoy favour with the government, applicants must submit their company registration to enquire further about the tender. From observation of the various call for tenders, it is common for ministries to apply different strategies for projects considered sensitive, such as those using surveillance technologies. For these particular projects, the government has either not announced projects or used broad, vague, or incomprehensible language in tenders.87 Most ministries do not publish when tenders had been awarded and keep information about military-linked companies implementing government projects with military-related companies away from public scrutiny. This information would only arise from investigative journalism or leaked documents.88 As mentioned earlier, Myanmar does not currently have