Profile photo of Nay Htun Naing. FACEBOOK/NAY HTUN NAING
Eleven Media journalist Nay Htun Naing won praise and a fair share of fans for his jaw-dropping retort to President Thein Sein’s economics adviser, U Myint, who had critiqued an article of his on the economy in laughably condescending tones.
Readers were gripped by the way 29-year-old Nay Htun Naing stepped back and bemoaned the lack of education under military rule, which older members of the “elite” such as the 77-year-old adviser were spared from.
Now, he’s written a second instalment and raised the stakes by challenging U Myint to a public debate.
In the new post published on Thursday, he starts off by explaining why he felt the need to pen such an fiery response, and in so doing extends a kind of olive branch to the economist.
“I apologize if I meant disrespect in the first part of my reply.
“To tell the truth, there are many difficulties in our country. Among over 50 million population, less than 1 million are free from the difficulties. People are struggling for their daily lives. They are trapped between poverty and the loss of future.
“Therefore, it is easy to explode into their emotions. My emotions ruled me while penning the reply to your letter. I could not help it. The reason is I had expected too much from you.”
“If I had grown up in Thailand, I do not think I will say something like that. I want you to take account of the feelings of the younger people.
“You need to know the lives of the youths and the situations of the public suffering from poverty. The elites surrounding you will not be able to tell the real situation.
“Especially, please do not listen to the people from the elite class who can spend millions of kyats. They are surrounding you.
“Forget their opinions.
“Talk to the young people who are supporting themselves. Take note of the people on the streets. Listen to them. Do not be busy spending time with the elites unless you want to become distant from the young generations.”
He then focuses on specific details of the article, picking apart the challenges piece by piece, and finishes by raising the prospect of the debate.
“If possible, next time I would like to hold a live public debate about belongings, businesses of cronies, union ministers, their families, money laundering, misappropriation and the country’s losses, with you or Dr Zaw Oo from your team or both, if the President allow both of you to do so.”
Will it happen? Someone we doubt it. Contact information from U Myint was not immediately available.
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