Hon. S.M. Marikkar, M.P.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)· Colombo

Profession: ---

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Speeches 141 #28 of 225·#11 in party

Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

141 speeches

5 February 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned the refusal to provide security, citing an IGP response that it was based on a Government policy decision. He urged the Speaker to intervene, arguing that the matter ultimately fell under the Speaker’s responsibility in relation to the IGP’s recommendations and should not be avoided. Petitions: Citizens' Petitions Presented Parliamentary ProcedureLaw & Order Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in the provided excerpt. Petitions: Citizens' Petitions Presented Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Presented the reports of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development on the Institute of Real Estate Professionals, Sri Lanka Bill, the Licensing of Container Depot Operators Bill, and amendments relating to licensing of shipping agents, freight forwarders, non-vessel operating common carriers and container operators. The reports were ordered to lie upon the Table. Committee Reports: Sectoral Oversight Committees Parliamentary Procedure Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar criticized the Government over the Grade 6 English textbook controversy involving a QR link associated with an LGBTQ logo, questioning accountability for any public expenditure losses arising from it. He then alleged irregularities in a coal procurement tender for the Lakvijaya/Norochcholai power plant, claiming that substandard, lower-calorific coal would increase consumption and impose significant additional costs. He argued that the tender should be cancelled rather than managed through penalties, tabled a port status document, and demanded an immediate suspension of the tender and a shift to quality-assured procurement. Debate: Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Regulation Amendment EducationPublic FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned the Minister on procurement decisions allegedly made by the Prime Minister or a committee appointed by him, comparing them to earlier Cabinet-delegated actions involving a building for the Ministry of Agriculture. He argued that maintaining scarcity-period prices despite available buffer stocks had caused a fundamental financial loss, and asked whether the Government would investigate the alleged “invisible hand” or “ghost” in the President’s Office and quantify the loss. Oral Question: Gas Imports and Emergency Procurement (Q.9) Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary S.M. Marikkar’s remarks are too fragmentary to identify a substantive argument, proposal, question, or policy reference. The available text only indicates he was continuing a point connected to a prior situation, without enough content to summarize further. Oral Question: Gas Imports and Emergency Procurement (Q.9) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned the Minister on LPG procurement, referring to earlier COPE evidence that OQ Trading had been awarded a higher-priced contract during an emergency because Siam Gas Trading’s lower-priced shipment would take about 40 days. He asked whether, after the emergency had passed and OQ Trading had buffer stocks, continuing to allocate larger volumes to the same supplier without a continuous procurement process had caused a loss. Oral Question: Gas Imports and Emergency Procurement (Q.9) Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar asked the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to provide year-wise data from 2022 to 2024 on the volume of gas imported by Litro Gas Lanka Limited. He also sought clarification on whether proper procurement procedures were followed, reasons for any deviations, the volume of emergency gas purchases in metric tons, and the financial difference between emergency purchases and purchases made under normal procedures. Oral Question: Gas Imports and Emergency Procurement (Q.9) Public Finance Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Raised a question regarding gas imports made through emergency procurements, alleging that the procurement process had not been properly followed. The intervention sought clarification on whether due process was contravened in those gas import arrangements. Oral Question: Gas Imports and Emergency Procurement (Q.9) Corruption & Governance Reform Read →
18 December 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned whether the Rs. 250 billion Supplementary Estimate is sufficient for post-disaster infrastructure damage, noting that RDA national roads alone may require about Rs. 190 billion and that wider provincial, local, utility and water-sector losses remain unclear. He urged the Government to prepare a comprehensive national damage assessment, present it internationally, convene a donor conference, and seek additional assistance and debt deferment rather than relying on inadequate domestic allocations. He also criticised delays in flood relief and cleanup in Kolonnawa, stating that many affected families had not received the promised Rs. 25,000 payment and calling for urgent waste clearance, faster payments, and use of local officials and state resources to verify and assist affected households. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah InfrastructurePublic FinanceCost of Living Read →
5 December 2025 AI summary Hon. S. M. Marikkar argued that the cyclone warnings had been issued well in advance by the Meteorology Department and reported by media, and tabled related alerts, reports and Disaster Relief Services Circular 03/2025 to rebut claims that the Opposition was misleading the public. He criticized the Government’s disaster preparedness and coordination, alleging that the Disaster Management Council had not met as required, that key meetings were delayed or dismissed, and that warnings about Kelani River flooding and relief needs were not acted upon. He urged the Government to acknowledge deficiencies, stop political attacks, jointly assess damages with the Opposition, prepare an accurate damage presentation, convene an international donor conference, seek aid and further debt relief, and address the estimated Rs. 900 billion infrastructure loss. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Parliamentary ProcedureCorruption & Governance ReformSecurity & Defence Read →
24 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned whether the Budget allocation for low-income housing is realistic, arguing that Rs. 1.02 million per house is insufficient given past UDA housing costs and current economic conditions, and requested technical justification. He opposed a “fire sale” of SriLankan Airlines but said it cannot continue receiving Budget support without debt restructuring, cost control, and proper leadership, including CEO and COO appointments. He also alleged major leakage through contract variations in infrastructure projects and called for a standardized national technical evaluation process to reduce abuse by contractors and officials. Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation - Part 1 Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
24 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar moved the customary Rs. 10 reduction under the relevant Heads and argued that the infrastructure-related ministries must improve budget utilization, citing low 2025 expenditure progress in transport, highways, ports, civil aviation, urban development, construction, housing, and water supply. He called for addressing RDA staff and engineers’ concerns, accelerating stalled road, bridge, rail, port and urban development projects, and preparing an integrated transport master plan with multimodal links and PPP-based expressway development. He sought updates on the East Container Terminal and Galle Port, criticized the cancellation or delay of projects such as the LRT, Kelani Valley railway upgrade and MCC-funded traffic improvements, and urged measures to reduce construction costs and revive the sector. Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation - Part 1 Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
20 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S. M. Marikkar criticised the Government’s energy policy, alleging that electricity and fuel pricing decisions overstate losses, protect institutional profits, and pass costs to consumers despite CEB profits and the legal role of the PUCSL in tariff adjustments. He raised concerns over electricity sector reform appointments, blackout follow-up measures, LNG and battery tenders, solar buyback policy, and alleged irregularities in a Trincomalee solar project linked to ministerial influence. He called for lower electricity and fuel costs, grace periods before power disconnections, progress on the Trincomalee oil tanks, transparency in anti-drug operations, and fulfilment of Government promises on taxes, fuel, food, education and health. Committee Stage: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Head 119 (Ministry of Energy) Cut Motion and Debate Corruption & Governance ReformInfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar suggested that wildlife tourism could quickly generate revenue by renovating facilities, launching an online booking platform, and listing them on commercial travel sites. He questioned the Government’s claims on rule of law and public security, citing killings and shootings, the removal of MPs’ security, and alleging that the Minister in charge of Police continues to use STF and backup security. He also criticized public displays of drug seizures, calling for transparency on the destruction of seized drugs and for enforcement to be carried out properly rather than as publicity. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Law & OrderSecurity & DefenceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar appears to raise a procedural query about his allotted speaking time, asking whether he had 10 minutes. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or legislative matter is addressed in the excerpt provided. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary S.M. Marikkar argued that Sri Lanka urgently needs higher dollar inflows to meet ongoing foreign debt obligations and reduce the trade deficit, noting limited reserves and only modest increases in tourism earnings and worker remittances. He urged the Government to adopt more effective measures to attract investment, expand exports, and increase tourism revenue, including improving airport capacity and temporarily reopening Ratmalana Airport until the Katunayake Airport expansion is completed. He also called for better promotion of tourist attractions, higher per-tourist spending, and a more practical approach to aviation and tourism infrastructure constraints. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) InfrastructureForeign AffairsPublic Finance Read →
14 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar briefly indicated that he was concluding his remarks and thanked the Chair. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill 2026 – Sixth Allotted Day Parliamentary Procedure Read →
14 November 2025 AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar said his party supported the Rs. 200 allowance for estate workers and broader redress for Tamil communities, but criticised the Budget as a liberal programme that relies on asset sales, higher taxes, utility charges and reduced expenditure. He argued that the Government was narrowing the deficit by overtaxing the public while failing to implement allocated development projects, citing unspent highway funds and stalled infrastructure work. He also questioned increased borrowing and debt levels, and accused the Government of abandoning promises on education spending, VAT relief, fuel and electricity price reductions, youth loans and tax thresholds. He further cited losses in several State-owned enterprises as evidence of mismanagement and said the Budget offered inadequate relief to households, pensioners, patients and schoolchildren. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill 2026 – Sixth Allotted Day Public FinanceEducationCost of Living Read →
13 November 2025 AI summary S.M. Marikkar questioned whether another member was speaking as if he had participated in or been briefed about a closed-door meeting. He asked whether the Speaker had briefed that member and objected that the member was directing people to ask the Speaker while, in Marikkar’s view, distorting the matter. Sittings Motions and Adjournment of Debate Order Parliamentary Procedure Read →