Why let them gone?

YESTERDAY, Chinese owned trans-border gas pipe line was launched to its operation. The oil pipe line will join operation sooner as it's already in pipeline. Though oil will be originated from middle east, natural gas is extracted from Myanmar's off-shore joint developed by Korean Daewoo. While Myanmar desperately needs energy to support its ambition to create much needed jobs by attracting FDI, the vast sale of our natural resource to richer neighboring nations is something not right I think. It have been several years ready that we had sold our natural gas to Thailand. Now another customer came in at China. India is going to join soon to absorb our natural gas by planning to build another trans-border pipe line.

Geographically, we are amid of energy hungry nations and we got to take extra care when we are being approached by them for our natural resources. Otherwise, our natural resource will belong to our neighbor countries, instead of our people. We definitely need those natural gases to use in our energy sector projects in order to increase electricity supply to our people and industrial zones. Though we are one of top nations in the world who export natural gas, our people still cannot afford and access the cooking gas to date. As a result, they are laboring with using firewood and charcoal that somewhat encourage deforestation. I read a report that suggest Myanmar is losing 50,000 acres every single year and it is quite alarming. We are in the countries who is losing with the fastest rate in this planet. No wonder our climate has changed visibly in recent years. 

Our officials must be wise enough if we are to avoid natural resource curse and prevent our national and people interests. I am sadden to see a map of transnational gas&oil pipeline going to other countries. It look like other people are absorbing the best part of our natural resource and our authority and people look helpless seeing let them go outward. It is appalling even more when we know that we are selling our precious resource with the price far less than market price due to lack of transparency and widely spread corruption among top officials. As a member of public, I feel sorry to learn this sorrowful story in which our officials yet to change their mindset despite the government have been changed to republic from military regime in past.