The military denied the reports that the Commander-in Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has donated a congregation hall for the Ma Ba Tha central. The 7 Day newspaper quoting a news release by Ma Ba Tha central posted on social media reported the Thirimaha Sasana Beikman hall would be built with the donation from the members of the military. It said the donation was made at a request of the chair of Ma Ba Tha about three years ago. The hall is to be constructed inside the compound of Lawka Chantha Abhaya Laba Muni pagoda in Insein Township in Yangon. However, the Commander-in-Chief office said on 12 March that donation for the congregation hall was at the request of the Yangon Region monk supervisory committee. A post on the Facebook page of Ma Ba Tha central said the chair of Ma Ba Tha, who is a monk from Insein Ywama monastery, has made the request for the congregation hall and the Commander-in-Chief was looking opportunity to donate a hall and the donation was made through the coordination of the Yangon Region monk supervisory committee. Another senior Ma Ba Tha monk Dr Ashin Thaw Pa Ka wrote on his Facebook page on 10 March that the hall would become a historic place for Buddhism, which will be built in collaboration among Ma Ba Tha, monk supervisory committee together with the Commander-in-Chief and the members of the armed forces. There have been criticisms over donation by the Commander-in-Chief for Ma Ba Tha, which was declared as unlawful by the monk body last year. Commander-in-Chief also came under criticism last November for donating to the leader of Ma Ba Tha U Wirathu. A senior leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) U Win Htein said he did not understand why the Commander-in Chief donated to the monk who is known for his derogatory rhetoric against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Muslims. Reference: 7 Day/ Online News of Ma Ba Tha Central/ the News from Commander-in-Chief Office.