Thein Sein's Cabinet

On 12 August 2015, Minister Tin Naing Thein, Myat Hein, Khin Yi and Than Htay, who will be competing in the November 8 election had resigned, and Lt-Gen Wai Lwin and Lt-Gen Thet Naing Win had moved to their former military responsibilities, replaced by Lt-Gen Sein Win and Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe.[1] On 9 December, minister Ko Ko Oo died and Khin San Yi co-administrated both ministries.

On 19 June 2014, Hsan Sint was dismissed from the office of Minister of Religious Affairs and brought to court for corruption. He is the first Minister dismissed openly. He was succeeded by Soe Win, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs and former Deputy Minister for Ministry of Information.[4] Minister for Information Aung Kyi and Minister for Health Pe Thet Khin were allowed to resign on 29 July 2014. They are succeeded by Ye Htut and Than Aung, Deputy Ministers.[5]

On 4 September 2012, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw approved the government's reshuffle of ministries, increasing the number to 36, including six ministers located in the President's Office. The President approved the resignation of Zaw Min, Union Minister for Electric Power-1, and Khin Maung Myint, Union Minister for Construction. The President also approved the resignation of Union Auditor-General Lun Maung on 28 August. Thein Hteik, Union Minister for Mines, was appointed as Union Auditor-General, and Lt-Gen Wai Lwin of the Office of Commander-in-Chief (Army) as Union Defence Minister. Wai Lwin was replaced Lt-Gen Hla Min, who was reassigned to the military.[6] During the government's major cabinet reshuffle, nine ministers have been reassigned, mainly with four transferred to the President's Office and one, Aung Kyi, named as the new Minister for Information, replacing Kyaw Hsan, who was transferred to the Ministry of Cooperatives as minister. In the present reformation of the cabinet, Ministries of Electric Power No. 1 and 2 were combined into one as the Ministry of Electric Power, while the Ministry of Industrial Development was abolished.[7][8]

On 16 January 2013, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Thein Tun and Minister for Religious Affairs, Thura Myint Maung abruptly resigned. Thein Tun was the first government minister known to have been investigated for corruption under the new government. San Sint, Speaker of Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw succeed Thura Myint Maung later. On 13 February 2013, former Commander-in-Chief of air force, General Myat Hein become minister for Communications and Information Technology.[3]

This appointments serve as a reminder that most ministers in the government are former officers who played a role in the previous military junta. Since taking office in 2011, the reformist president, who is himself a former general, has selected former senior military officers into government as it simply continues the flawed practices of past military rule, and given only a handful of posts to people without a military background.[9]

The Cabinet was sworn in on 30 March 2011 at the Hluttaw complex in Naypyidaw, after being appointed by President Thein Sein.[10] Four ministers, namely of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Border Affairs were nominated by Commander-in-Chief Than Shwe.[11] Two ministries, the Ministry of the President's Office and the Ministry of Industrial Development were created by the Hluttaw (Parliament) on 9 February 2011.[11]

The overwhelming majority of Ministers are Union Solidarity and Development Party members of parliament or military officers affiliated with the former State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), and four are civilians.[12] 12 have previously held ministerial posts, while another 7 have held deputy ministerial posts during the SPDC administration. 3 are former regional army commanders. On 10 August 2011, the cabinet was reshuffled, with Kyaw Swa Khaing, previously the Minister of Industry No. 1 (with Minister of Industry No. 2, Soe Thein, concurrently becoming head of the Ministry of Industry-1), appointed as co-Minister of the President's Office.[13]