Yangon - Myanmar's junta allowed an FM-radio service to open in the Rakhine State for the first time last week and plans to open similar services nationwide by July, government officials confirmed Monday.

"We started test-broadcast to Rakhine State on 27 March, 12 hours daily from 7 am to 7 pm," an official who requested anonymity said. "The station, temporarily named Pyinsawaddi, will cover four townships in the Rakhine State including Sittwe."

Sittwe is a major port city in the Rakhine, which borders Bangladesh.

In the past, government-controlled FM stations were only operated out of Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar's two largest cities.

Under a new arrangement, the government has granted four private Myanmar companies, known to have close connections with the regime, concessions to operate FM stations from 20 cities nationwide.

"All the FM radio stations are projected to be completed by July this year," the government official said.

It was not immediately clear why the government has allowed new FM stations nationwide, which will allow for more regional news coverage but the development comes at a time when the military-controlled country is preparing for a general election in 2010.

The four companies granted the concessions include the Forever Group in the Rakhine State and Irrawaddy Division; Red Link Company in the Shan State and Kayah State; ShweThanLwin Company in Mon, Kayin, Pago and Taninthayi; and the Shwe Taung Company in Sagaing Division, Magwe Division, Chin State and Kachin State, sources said.

The Forever Group already operates the Yangon FM and Mandalay FM stations in a joint venture with the Ministry of Information.

Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. The country has one of Asia's worst human rights records and exercises an iron grip over local media outlets, most of which are state-owned. (dpa)