A video of National League for Democracy MP Ye Myint Swe slapping one of his constituents went viral on Facebook over the weekend, quickly prompting the Tanintharyi MP to do some serious damage control.
The man who was hit has been identified as Tun Hla, a resident of Pa Wa village, located in Tanintharyi Division. Yesterday, Ye Myint Swe publicly apologized to Tun Hla in front of several other villagers and MPs from the region.
“I apologize to all of my constituents. I give my word that something like this will never happen again,” Ye Myint Swe said, as quoted by The Voice.
The incident took place on April 8 while Ye Myint Swe was inspecting schools in the Myeik District. However, people were only recently made aware of the encounter when user Aung Htut Thet uploaded video footage of it onto Facebook where it garnered over 20,000 shares, which we’re guessing also explains why there was a two-week “delay” in the MP’s apology.
According to Ye Myint Swe, he stepped in because Tun Hla was getting into an argument with a few other villagers. Unfortunately, he also ended up slapping the man.
“As a citizen, I have no response to being slapped in the face. I don’t have any desire for retaliation either,” said Tun Hla, who accepted the MP’s apology.
On the evening of the incident, Ye Myint Swe wrote an update regarding the school inspection on his Facebook page, with no mention of the physical encounter.
After all, once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever.
