According to documents leaked online, the military-regime in Myanmar is attempting to clamp down on mobile banking and electronic money transfers.
The leaked documents, which went viral on social media, were dated August 15th, from the Central Bank of Myanmar, and they asked all banks and affiliated agents to gather all personal details of those sending and receiving money through mobile banking transfers.
The information to be collected includes name, national ID number, phone number, address and the reason for the transfer.
The document claims that this is intended to stop the flow of financial support to opponents of the current administration. It also suggests that electronic money transfer services, such as Kpay and Wave Money agents, install CCTV to secretly record customers.
It also placed stricter regulations on agents and users dealing in high volumes of transfers, requiring local ward administrator’s certification and a police letter clearing those users of any involvement in police-related cases.
At a press conference on August 17th, military spokesperson General Zaw Min Tun also said that they were creating a social media platform as a substitute for Facebook, after a complete countrywide ban on the platform was imposed. He claimed that it is due to the rampant availability of posts regarding the military, terrorist activities and posts that harm the culture and religious beliefs in Myanmar.
The Facebook ban has been in place since the military takeover on February 1st, 2021, but it is still accessible through the use of VPNs.
