YANGON: Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing publicly called out Elon Musk's satellite internet firm Starlink on Friday (July 31) as one of the tools used by the country's thriving online scam industry.
An AFP investigation last year revealed the use of Starlink devices had exploded in the industry, where scammers target internet users with romance and business cons worth tens of billions of dollars annually.
In his first major speech to parliament since being made civilian president in April, ex-coup leader Min Aung Hlaing named Starlink as he insisted his government was cracking down on the fraudsters.
"Our government considers online fraud and online gambling as serious crimes committed against the public. Therefore, our government will not tolerate them at all and is severely cracking down on and suppressing them," he said.
He claimed foreigners were mostly responsible, saying that "the communication equipment they use, including Starlink, as well as computer accessories, were imported illegally by foreign nationals."
Min Aung Hlaing led a 2021 coup that deposed democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered an ongoing civil war. He was installed as civilian president following highly restricted elections.
Since the war began, sprawling fraud factories have ballooned in Myanmar's border regions where governance has collapsed, often using workers trafficked from abroad.
The military-backed parliament approved a law this week authorising capital punishment for those who detain or violently coerce victims into working in online scam centres.
Myanmar's junta has long been accused of looking the other way as the illicit industry grows, but has trumpeted a crackdown since February after being lobbied by key military backer China, experts say.
A UN report issued this month said law enforcement actions in the region have "displaced and dispersed" scam networks rather than dismantle them.
Starlink, part of Musk's SpaceX company, dominates the global satellite communications sector with thousands of satellites in orbit and operations in dozens of countries.
In October last year, Starlink said it had cut services to more than 2,500 internet devices at Myanmar scam centres.
AFP has contacted Starlink for comment on Min Aung Hlaing's remarks. - AFP
