History of Myanmar Alin

Before the publication of the newspaper Myanma Alin, it was published as a monthly
magazine in 1909 by U Shwe Gyu from Shwe Gyu Company started publishing, Block 50 Bar
Street, Yangon, under the name Myanma Alin Magazine and Latti Pandita U Maung Gyi was
served as the editor of Myanmar Alin. Myanma Alin Magazine published in June 1912 is different
from previous magazines. Previously, magazines published articles based on religion, and advice
from the ancient scriptures was included. U Shwe Gyu's Myanma Alin Magazine was successful
because it included new ideas and a bit of modernity. Myanma Alin Magazine is published twice
a month. In August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I, U Shwe Gyu published a separate
newspaper called Myanma Alin Magazine and Myanma Alin War Telegraph News in November
of that year, which was purchased nationwide. Soon, Myanma Alin Telegram News has been
renamed Myanma Alin Newspaper.

The editor-in-chief was Latti Pandita U Maung Gyi and the responsible editor (Vice-editor)
was Saya Thin. Only Owner U Shwe Gyu, Maung Gyi and Pi Moe Nin or U Kyaw, created the
newspaper. In 1915, a year after the publication of the newspaper, the British government
demanded a $ 5,000 bail for the advertisement “Beware of the 15th March’’, but U Shwe Gyu
didn’t pay the bail and ceased publication. After stopping the Myanma Alin newspaper, its owner,
U Shwe Gyu, left for Japan to study lithography. When he arrived in Japan, he met Ko Ko Gyi
who is studying weaving and dyeing, and they became very close friends. In 1917, after graduating
from weaving and dyeing, Ko Ko Gyi returned to Burma accompanied by Shwe Gyu. While
arriving in Singapore, he heard from U Tun Win (Shwe Gyu's brother) that he had sold the Myanma
Alin printing presses owned by Shwe Gyu Company, U Shwe Gyu decided to live in Singapore
and U Ko Ko Gyi gave 3000 MMK he had to U Shwe Gyi and U Shwe Gyi wrote a letter asking
for permission to publish his own Myanma Alin newspaper and Myanma Alin Magazine as a return.

Ko Ko Gyi bought the Myanma Alin newspaper from U Shwe Gyu and published it under
the title "The New Light Of Burma" in Pansodan, Rangoon. The addition of the name “New” in
“The Light of Burma” is a newspaper published during Shwe Gyu's tenure wasn’t pay 5000 bails,
the British government would have been accepted only if it had been published under the name
“The New Light of Burma”. In March 1919, when Ko Ko Gyi came to Rangoon and Saya Thin
resigned from the Asurain newspaper and went to Rangoon when Saya Thin learned that U Ko Ko
Gyi was planning to publish under the new name “The New Light of Burma”. The new newspaper,
Myanma Alin, was published three times a week on May 1, 1919. Ko Ko Gyi arranged for U Sein
to be in charge of the new Myanma Alin newspaper to be published daily from 3 times a week
newspaper. The Daily New Myanma Alin newspaper was published on 1, July 1919. During Ko
Ko Gyi's tenure, U Sein was the administrated editor-in-chief of the new Myanma Alin newspaper,
and Saya Thin was the responsible editor-in-chief. At that time, the structure of Burmese
newspapers Media was different from that of modern newspapers. At that time, the administrated
editor-in-chief had only a name and was not responsible for the pros and cons of the Company. It
was the responsible editor-in-chief who took the lead on the editorial team. Shortly after U Sein
arriving at the newspaper, the responsible editor, Sayar Thin was murdered of personal aggression.
After the death of Saya Thin, U Sein worked not only as an administrator but also as an editor.
 People who worked in various roles in the new Myanma Alin Newspaper were U Sein,
Saya Thin, De Dot U Ba Cho, Bandula U Sein, Yogi U Tin, Former Minister U Tin, Journalist U
Chit Maung, U Maung Maung Khin, U Thein Tint (Dhu Wun), U Thein (Zawana), U Thaung
Nyunt (Shwe Pin Thaung), U Pu Kale, U Tun Shein, U Saw Oo (Gon Yaung), U Yu Maung
(Yangon Daily), U Ba Hnin, U Kyaw Min, U Hla Tun Phyu (Member of the State Council) And
U Chit Oo. When U Sein became the editor-in-chief of the new Myanma Alin newspaper in 1921,
Ko Ko Gyi, the owner of the building, sold the newspaper to Maung Gyi because he wanted to
work as a weaver with the lessons he had learned from Japan. Since that time, U Maung Gyi served
as the Owner of New Myanmar Alin, and Oo Tin continued to serve as general secretary. Due to
U Tin's good management, the new Myanmar Alin newspaper became popular. It became the
largest newspaper publisher. Prior to World War II, the New Light of Burma was renamed the
"Light of Burma" but continued to be used in English as “The New Light of Burma”.

The Myanma Alin newspaper continued to be published until 1966. On September 1, 1966,
U Ba Aye, the owner of the building, officially handed over some of the newspapers and newspaper
buildings to the workers. On January 3, 1969, members of the editorial board, U Soe Maung, U
Kyi Nyunt, and U Thein Nyunt met with the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and handed
over a letter to the Minister regarding the situation of the newspaper. Then, on 17 January, U Soe
Maung and U Maung Maung Khin met with the Chairman of the Revolutionary Council after
receiving a letter from General Ne Win, Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, requesting to
send two representatives. The chairman said the two delegates would be heard good news within
five days. Then, on January 25, the Secretary of the Ministry of Information meeting with U Soe
Maung, U Kyi Nyunt and, Than Nyunt, the revolutionary government decided to publicize
Myanma Alin and Hanthawaddy newspapers. On the morning of January 31, 1969, Myanma Alin
and Hanthawaddy newspapers were nationalized. The Myanma Alin newspaper was republished
on February 1 of that year and continues to this day. Since August 1973, printing presses have had
to be reprinted, so only the Burmese title, Myanma Alin, is used. Harita Brahma(Logo) and The
English titles “The New Light of Burma” had disappeared.

Soe Lin (12.3.2021)