Hon. M.A.M. Thahir, M.P.

All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC)· Digamadulla

Profession: Businessman

Roster profile ↗

Speeches 58 #85 of 225·#1 in party

Attendance 3/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

58 speeches

21 May 2026 AI summary A petition was presented on behalf of W.G.T.K. Amaradasa of Borella, Colombo 08. No details of the petition’s subject matter were stated. Petitions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
19 May 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir supported the Adjournment Motion on the human-elephant conflict, linking it to the need to protect domestic agricultural production during the economic crisis. He said forest clearing and resettlement in parts of Ampara District have pushed elephants into coastal DS divisions, causing damage to lives, crops and property. He criticised the effectiveness and conduct of some officials assigned to elephant control and urged the Government and relevant Ministers to take serious action, noting that farmers are personally paying large sums for guards and fencing. Adjournment Motion: Sustainable Solution for Human-Elephant Conflict EnvironmentAgricultureLaw & Order Read →
19 May 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir recalled the 1988 reduction of the district-level electoral cutoff from 12.5% to 5%, following discussions between President R. Premadasa and M.H.M. Ashraff, noting that it enabled minority party representation in Parliament. He also referred to a pledge to fund the Nintavur Cultural Hall in Ashraff’s name and thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for visiting Nintavur to initiate related works. Debate: Second Reading of Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
19 May 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir criticized the Finance Ministry’s tax proposals, arguing that bringing small traders and fuel station operators into the tax net effectively passes indirect taxes on to ordinary consumers while the Government later presents subsidies as benefits. He requested relief for local distributors, particularly fuel station operators facing reduced margins and lower sales under QR rationing despite higher turnover values caused by price increases. He also warned against policies aimed at conserving dollar reserves if they restrict essential inputs, citing past fertilizer import limits, and raised concerns that farmers in Ampara lack timely fertilizer and cannot sell stored paddy at viable prices. Debate: Second Reading of Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill and Committee Stage Public FinanceCost of LivingAgriculture Read →
8 May 2026 AI summary M.A.M. Thahir supported the motion, arguing that tree-planting policies should prioritise species suited to Sri Lanka’s varied climate and local needs. He said fast-growing trees planted in school “green revolution” programmes in Ampara had become hazardous, damaging buildings, while principals lacked funds and authority to remove them and State Timber Corporation procedures were slow and costly. He proposed arrangements to remove dangerous trees and encouraged planting economically useful or native species, including along riverbanks, to support local production and national benefit. Debate: Private Members' Motion P.50/2025 - Formulating a Methodology to Prevent Damage Caused by Pine Plantations to Water Sources AgricultureInfrastructureEnvironment Read →
7 May 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir raised concerns about public access to police stations, saying complainants are sometimes treated like offenders and calling for changes to improve public safety. He requested the Government to facilitate Muslim Qurbani practices during Eid al-Adha, noting its proximity to Vesak and asking that arrangements be made for the 10th to 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah to prevent communal tensions. He also questioned what legal action would be taken against individuals and groups allegedly spreading rumours or provoking anti-Muslim sentiment, citing claims about extremists targeting Buddhist sites and the use of the ICCPR Act in other cases. Debate and Approval: Public Security Ordinance Extension (Emergency) - Part 2 Religion & CultureLaw & OrderEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
7 May 2026 AI summary The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir addressed the resolution under the Public Security Ordinance to extend the emergency for providing relief and compensation to those affected by the Ditha cyclone. He said public debate had been dominated by competing claims between the government and opposition, but the central issue was whether promised assistance had reached affected people. He referred to the President’s earlier assurances of substantial compensation for damaged houses, land and roofing, and questioned whether all affected persons had in fact received relief, noting that several Members had raised similar concerns. Debate and Approval: Public Security Ordinance Extension (Emergency) - Part 2 Public FinanceEnvironment Read →
7 May 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir sought leave to introduce the Mass Foundation (Incorporation) Bill. The Bill aims to incorporate the Mass Foundation. Presentation of Bills and Regulations Approval Parliamentary Procedure Read →
10 April 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir objected to a proposal to transfer a community centre built on mosque waqf land to a local authority, noting that it was constructed with Government funds in 2017 and 2023 and has been maintained by the mosque. He argued that the mosque had already arranged access for all communities and questioned why similar buildings managed by temples in Sinhala-majority areas were not treated the same way. He urged the Deputy Minister to ensure the centre is handed to the mosque for management in line with waqf law and communal harmony. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Ethnic Reconciliation & DevolutionReligion & CultureCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
10 April 2026 AI summary M.A.M. Thahir raised a Standing Order 27(2) question to the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government regarding a cultural centre built with government funds on waqf land belonging to the Kottantivu Mohideen Jumma Mosque in Puttalam. He asked why the completed centre has remained closed and not handed over for public use, citing mosque objections to reported moves by the District Secretariat to appropriate the land and noting that related mosque and water-supply infrastructure on the site are community-managed. He sought clarification on whether the centre can be handed over to the mosque for management and maintenance, when and by whom this would be done, and what action would be taken against officials responsible for delays or obstruction. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Religion & CultureLand & HousingPublic Finance Read →
9 April 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir argued that the Easter Sunday attacks were used to stigmatize the Muslim community and to justify arrests and restrictions against Muslims, including alleged attempts to implicate Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen. He questioned the Government’s delay in identifying and prosecuting the alleged mastermind despite earlier presidential promises and election commitments, and rejected reliance on pending court cases as a reason for inaction. He requested urgent action to reveal those responsible and secure justice for victims and affected Muslim communities. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Attack of 21 April 2019 Security & DefenceEthnic Reconciliation & DevolutionJustice & Human Rights Read →
5 March 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir spoke on an Adjournment Motion connected to International Women’s Day, emphasizing respect for women and noting government measures such as appointing women to senior offices. He urged the Government, especially women members, to condemn attacks affecting women and children in the Middle East, including an alleged attack on a girls’ school in Iran, and questioned why Sri Lanka had not expressed solidarity given Iran’s past assistance, including the Uma Oya project. He also argued that the Government’s pledges of equality were not being reflected in its responses to international issues and in local programmes, citing the Prajashakthi project in his area where he said no women were selected, and called for household-level initiatives to create opportunities for women. Adjournment: National Care Policy and International Women's Day Foreign AffairsWomen & ChildrenEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
20 February 2026 AI summary M.A.M. Thahir criticised both Government and Opposition for focusing on allegations and political point-scoring in the coal procurement adjournment debate while local problems remain unresolved. He urged action on the Oluvil fishery harbour and commercial port, either by making them operational or closing/removing structures causing erosion, and called for compensation for around 250 acres of coastal land reportedly lost from Maruthamunai to Thirukkovil. He also raised recent severe erosion in Nintavur and flood damage affecting farmers in Ampara, asking the Government to respond urgently. Adjournment Motion: Issues Relating to the Power Sector (Coal Procurement for Norochcholai) InfrastructureParliamentary ProcedureEnvironment Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir questioned the necessity of extending the emergency, arguing that the Government’s stated restoration of calm did not justify continued extraordinary powers and citing past impacts on the Muslim community, including the detention of Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen under the PTA after the Easter attacks. He alleged that emergency-related authority and programmes such as “Prajashakthi” were being used to consolidate political control without proper legal process. He also requested action on coastal erosion, effective paddy procurement at the declared floor price, and administrative improvements in local hospitals, including appointments and reversal of ad hoc transfers. Debate: Extension of Emergency Regulations (Cyclone Ditwah) Corruption & Governance ReformSecurity & DefenceLaw & Order Read →
3 February 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir emphasized the importance of agriculture and environmental protection, drawing on his personal background as the child of a farmer and his continued interest in planting trees. He expressed concern that Sri Lanka’s natural resources are being destroyed or left unused, contrasting the country’s resource wealth with Singapore’s development. He urged attention to protecting forests while also preserving human relationships and unity. Adjournment Debate: Muthurajawela Wetland EnvironmentAgriculture Read →
3 February 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir raised concerns over the Kivul Oya planned settlement project, arguing that forest protection policies appear inconsistent if forests are to be cleared to obtain water for the project. He also highlighted disruptions affecting the Mannar–Puttalam road, stating that the longstanding route from Colombo to Jaffna via Puttalam and Mannar is no longer passable for the public. Adjournment Debate: Muthurajawela Wetland Land & HousingEnvironmentInfrastructure Read →
3 February 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir supported the Adjournment Motion on protecting the Muthurajawela wetland but argued that conservation policies should be applied equitably across the country without ethnic discrimination. He said lands in the North and East formerly cultivated by Tamil and Muslim communities have been classified as forests, sacred lands, or wildlife areas after long periods of displacement, and called for such fallow lands to be reviewed and released for agriculture or other public needs. He also urged the Government to address unresolved Eastern Province issues, including the Saudi-funded prefabricated housing project, Vattamadu and Pottuvil land disputes, agricultural concerns, and drinking water shortages affecting about 5,000 families between Irakkakandi and Pulmoddai. Adjournment Debate: Muthurajawela Wetland Land & HousingEthnic Reconciliation & DevolutionEnvironment Read →
3 February 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir spoke during debate on regulations under the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act, urging action on unresolved telecommunications failures in Sainthamaruthu, including an unrepaired tower device affecting fishermen’s safety and poor service during the “Tithva” cyclone despite continued billing. He also asked the Government to provide teacher appointments for approximately 16,000 development officers serving in schools, following the President’s proposed solution. He called for Parliament to resolve the delayed Nuraicholai tsunami housing scheme for affected families and urged immediate remedial measures for severe coastal erosion linked to the Oluvil Port, citing extensive land loss and damage in several eastern coastal areas. Debate: Regulations under the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act (continued) InfrastructureCorruption & Governance ReformEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
23 January 2026 AI summary M.A.M. Thahir questioned recent statements by ruling party members about retaining power and “state power,” and argued that the Government must address practical public needs rather than repeat past practices. He said rural schools still lack basic facilities, parents continue to be asked to fund furniture and resources despite promises of change, and cold weather linked to climate conditions may require adjustments to school arrangements. He called for an accelerated coastal erosion mitigation programme in affected Eastern Province areas, citing exposed graves in Maligakadu and Nintavur-Attappallam and slow progress on promised works. He also urged the Minister of Cultural Affairs to reduce political interference in mosque administration and empower the relevant department to appoint suitable permanent administrators. Debate: Universities (Amendment) Bill - Second and Third Reading Religion & CultureEnvironmentEducation Read →
20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir argued that the Aswesuma welfare scheme continues to exclude many eligible households due to flawed criteria, while rising costs make current cash benefits inadequate. He called for reduced prices of essentials and utilities, revised eligibility rules for migrant families, fisherfolk, small self-employed persons and poor households with certain assets, and consideration of in-kind support through cooperatives. He also urged the return of seized agricultural lands in the North and East, better use of local resources to create employment, and urgent action to address disrupted public health services in the East. He supported education reform but demanded the removal of religiously objectionable sexually explicit content from proposed materials. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Cost of LivingPublic FinanceEducation Read →