Mar 2, 2009 (DVB), A manager of a Win Thuzar store in Mandalay's Myingyan township has escaped punishment over the misuse of 70 million kyat due to being a close-relative of Ministry of Industry (1) minister Aung Thaung, employees say.

Government officials from Naypyidaw last week came to Myingyan to investigate the financial accounts of local Win Thuzar stores, which are run by, and sell products from, the Ministry of Industry (1).

They found that over 70 million kyat had gone missing from the store's account. Employees from the shop said the manager, Win Aung, was not punished for the missing money.

The Ministry of Industry (1) and the Win Thuzar store where the money went missing were unavailable for comments.

In November last year, Myinchan USDA secretary Hla Than, who is also known to have close ties with Aung Thaung, went unpunished following accusations by workers and bus drivers that he misused public funds which led to the theft of 900 million kyat.

Reporting by Aye Nai