Politick Parliament. On record. For every citizen.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)· Colombo

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament

Profession: ---

Roster profile ↗
Speeches 691 #5 of 225·#2 in party
Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)
Top topic Parliamentary Procedure 333 speeches
Last spoke 10 June 2026 in Debate

Activity by sitting

126 sittings · counts only, no scoring.

Topic focus

AI summary AI-assigned tags, 1–3 per speech. Counts only — not a score.

Speech history

691 speeches
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary The Leader of the Opposition noted that time had elapsed after posing his question and suggested that the relevant Minister provide the answer on another day. SO 27(2) Question: Ferry Service Thalaimannar-Rameswaram Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa, as Leader of the Opposition, rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in the provided excerpt. SO 27(2) Question: Ferry Service Thalaimannar-Rameswaram Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa urged the Government to implement the existing Action Plan for elephant conservation, emphasizing that the issue concerns environmental and wildlife protection rather than politics. He noted that only about 6–7 percent of Sri Lankan Asian elephants have tusks, compared with 70–90 percent in India, and that the plan reflects the reality that most elephants live outside protected areas and overlap with human settlements. SO 27(2) Question: Human-Elephant Conflict Environment Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary The Leader of the Opposition clarified that the HEC Action Plan was prepared by named experts rather than former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and questioned why it had not been implemented. He rejected claims that he had criticized veterinarians, stating that he had praised those who treated the “Bhathiya” elephant. He also challenged the Minister’s remarks on elephant tusks, arguing that the distinction between African and Asian elephants had been misrepresented in the House. SO 27(2) Question: Human-Elephant Conflict Environment Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa requested the Minister to manage the allotted time and indicated that the response or contribution could be given the following day. SO 27(2) Question: Human-Elephant Conflict Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), Sajith Premadasa raised the human-elephant conflict as an urgent matter, citing deaths, property and crop damage, and elephant fatalities amid the absence of a stable response mechanism. He requested data on recent elephant censuses, implementation of the 2020 National Action Plan for mitigation, timelines, five-year human and elephant death figures, compensation criteria and procedures, applicable legal penalties for killing elephants, and the Government’s position on the Animal Welfare Bill. He also asked about Wildlife Conservation Department staffing by region and whether international treatment and rehabilitation models, including partnerships such as Wildlife SOS, would be adopted. SO 27(2) Question: Human-Elephant Conflict EnvironmentPublic FinanceJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa challenged the accuracy of the response to his second question, arguing that the previous Government had misrepresented the wage policy by treating Rs. 350 as an “extra” amount on top of Rs. 1,350. He stated that this was incorrect and indicated that the relevant figure should be understood as Rs. 1,700. Oral Question: National Minimum Wage and Plantation Workers Wages Public Finance Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or argument is contained in the provided excerpt. Oral Question: National Minimum Wage and Plantation Workers Wages Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa said the Opposition supports the Orders increasing the national minimum monthly wage to Rs. 27,000 by December and Rs. 30,000 from January, but argued that the Government has not implemented its policy pledge to provide a Rs. 1,700 daily wage to plantation workers. Citing the Wages Boards Ordinance and related legislation governing agricultural worker allowances, he asked when the pledge would be fulfilled for the tea, rubber, coconut and other export crop sectors. He also asked whether the Government would support an amendment proposed by Mano Ganesan, V.S. Radhakrishnan and Palani Digambaram to implement the Rs. 1,700 daily wage. Oral Question: National Minimum Wage and Plantation Workers Wages AgricultureEmployment Read →
  • 11 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa said the Opposition would provide bipartisan support to secure a favourable outcome on US tariffs, noting the importance of the US market for Sri Lankan exports and apparel. While welcoming the reduction from 44 per cent to 30 per cent, he argued that Sri Lanka must assess its competitiveness against exporters such as Vietnam, India and Bangladesh, given the price sensitivity of apparel. He proposed intensive diplomatic engagement over the next three weeks with US trade agencies, Congressional Sri Lanka Caucuses and the White House, including the Chief of Staff, to protect export earnings and around 350,000 apparel jobs. US Tariff Duties - Member's Attention Matter and Discussion Foreign AffairsEmployment Read →
  • 9 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa renewed the Opposition’s call for a new mechanism to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks, citing earlier parliamentary debates and Standing Order 27(2) questions. He urged the Government to adopt a six-step plan endorsed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, including a reconstituted commission with local and foreign experts, a permanent investigation office, criminal prosecutions, a special court, and a State Prosecution Office. He said the process must be impartial, involve international assistance such as Scotland Yard or the FBI, and restore public trust, particularly among victims and the Catholic community. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks (21 April 2019) Security & DefenceReligion & CultureJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 9 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa objected to any external approval requirement for Members to raise Questions of Privilege, arguing that it undermines parliamentary sovereignty and Members’ rights. He asked the Deputy Speaker to intervene, specifically citing the denial of an opportunity for Hon. Dayasiri to raise a privilege matter, and emphasized that freedom of speech in Parliament is a constitutional right. Procedural: Questions of Privilege and Parliamentary Conduct Parliamentary ProcedureJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 9 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa questioned the basis for the Government’s guaranteed price of Rs. 120 per kilogram, asking whether it had been set without data from relevant institutions. He requested that, if such data already exist, they be tabled in Parliament. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Paddy Purchase, Rice Import, Horticultural Crops; Question of Privilege Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
  • 9 July 2025 AI summary Requested comprehensive answers from the Minister regarding the data used to determine the guaranteed price. He emphasized the need for clarity on the evidentiary basis behind that pricing decision. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Paddy Purchase, Rice Import, Horticultural Crops; Question of Privilege Public Finance Read →
  • 9 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa raised a Private Notice Question on paddy procurement and rice import policy, asking for data on national rice requirements, Government-held stocks, expected Yala harvest by district, production costs, guaranteed prices, procurement targets, budget allocations, imports, and crop insurance. He argued that despite reported rice surpluses and a stated guaranteed price of Rs. 120 per kilogram of paddy, farmers are being forced to sell at Rs. 85-90 during harvest while rice imports continue. He questioned whether imports and weak distribution mechanisms, including alleged diversion of rice and market manipulation, are undermining fair prices for farmers and requested structured Government responses. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Paddy Purchase, Rice Import, Horticultural Crops; Question of Privilege Public FinanceAgricultureCost of Living Read →
  • 8 July 2025 AI summary The Leader of the Opposition objected to the planned 18 percent VAT on digital services from 10 October, citing the Gazette’s coverage of services such as cloud computing, e-commerce, digital marketing, software, cybersecurity, streaming and social media platforms. He argued that the measure, which he described as an IMF condition, would affect youth, rural and middle-income livelihoods, and called for its immediate withdrawal. He also raised the case of the injured elephant “Bhatia” in Nikaweratiya and urged the Government to develop a structured short-, medium- and long-term wildlife emergency response programme, with international assistance where needed, rather than relying on ad hoc interventions. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Salt Import Regulations (Gazette No. 2437/04) Cost of LivingEnvironment Read →
  • 8 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa raised a point of order regarding the planned imposition of an 18 per cent VAT on digital services from 1 October. He warned that the measure would affect millions of users and sought the Minister’s attention to the issue while present in the House. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 8 July 2025 AI summary Sajith Premadasa challenged the Minister’s claim that allegations originated from politicians, stating that Customs trade unions and officials first raised them. He said the Opposition had not named individuals and asked why the relevant report, which should identify those involved, had still not been tabled in Parliament. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Corruption & Governance Reform Read →
  • 8 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa questioned the Government’s refusal to officially table a report already presented by Hon. Mujibur Rahuman, stating that it contains several disclosures. He asked why the Minister was avoiding his nine questions and sought clarification on whether there was a “mastermind” or multiple masterminds behind the matter. He argued that, since the President appointed the committee, the Government had a responsibility to table its report in Parliament. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Parliamentary ProcedureCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
  • 8 July 2025 AI summary The Leader of the Opposition raised concerns over a committee report on the release of 323 import containers without Customs inspection, arguing that its conclusions suggest the process may not have been conducted in good faith. He asked why the full report had not been officially made public, sought details on the containers’ origins, contents, importers, duties, and related releases of “red” and “yellow” containers, and questioned whether ministerial, governmental, or importer pressure was involved. He also requested clarification on actions taken following the committee’s 12 recommendations, the status of investigations and legal proceedings, the Government’s responsibility for possible illegal goods, and proposed policy or legal reforms to prevent recurrence. Leader of Opposition Question Period and Points of Order Law & OrderCorruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →