The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, in the Budget presented by our President yesterday, there are indeed measures and programs that will genuinely benefit the people, and we welcome them. We in the Opposition do not oppose what is good for the people or the country. But I must tell the Government benches that we also bear a great responsibility to guide you where necessary.

¶ 02 President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has experience in this House, from the Opposition, constructively steering the Government by constantly raising issues. We are 64 in the Opposition; you are 159 in Government. The people entrusted you with power and many promises, largely due to the failures of those who governed before—we accept this. Therefore, we have a duty to guide you, and I ask that you take our views into account and correct course where needed.

¶ 03 When we listened to the President’s Budget Speech, we were pleased. Also, yesterday, on the Local Authorities Elections Amendment Bill, both Government and Opposition supported it and are ready to face the elections. Yet some Members spoke as if the Opposition is afraid of elections. We are not. We have duties and a moral responsibility; we are ready to face any election.

¶ 04 You must, within your term, deliver what the people expect. As I said, there are good aspects in this Budget, and we welcome them. However, there is deep disappointment among the people of the Eastern Province since yesterday. For the first time in a long while, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in the East voted for you in large numbers. The Hon. Deputy Speaker Bimal Rathnayake stated here that the Government received overwhelming support. On the opening day I too said that hundreds of thousands of Tamils and Muslims in the North and East voted for you—this is clear. Therefore, you must do your best for those people.

¶ 05 Hon. Presiding Member, the Eastern Province has suffered severe flood damage. Farmers have twice incurred heavy losses—at the end of 2024 and at the beginning of 2025. Despite this, the Government set the paddy guaranteed price only after harvest, causing grave concern and economic downturn among farmers. Henceforth, fix the guaranteed price at the proper time.

¶ 06 Our Party’s Secretary General, Hon. Nizam Kariapper, speaking in this debate, raised how many dams and canals in Ampara District were damaged by the floods. In my district, Ampara, there have been heavy losses. Therefore, I request that Budgetary provisions within the Irrigation Ministry be arranged to restore them.

¶ 07 Next, I believe the allocation for education to the Eastern Province is insufficient. The Hon. Prime Minister, who is responsible for education, is not in the House now. At the request of the late Leader of the SLMC, M.H.M. Ashraff, the South Eastern University was established. Today it functions as a National University. I believe that each National University enrolls around 2,000–2,500 students annually, in Sinhala and Tamil streams. There is nothing in this Budget on developing that university, which worries the people. It has Faculties of Science, Arts, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Technology, Management, and Engineering. Under the previous Government, many attempted to establish a Faculty of Medicine there, but it was abandoned. Therefore, at this National University, the South Eastern University, I request the Hon. Prime Minister to make arrangements not only for a Faculty of Medicine, but also a Faculty of Law.

¶ 08 On the economic crisis: whatever solution you propose, we will support it. We lived through 30 years of brutal war, witnessing humans killing humans. To end this, we must resolve the ethnic question. You have spoken of a new Constitution; you must bring it, and ensure a solution so all who live in this country can live peacefully and united.

¶ 09 While we acknowledge many benefits delivered through this Budget, I will continue to speak on the deficiencies until they are rectified. You have brought a Clean Sri Lanka program. But so far, no Tamil or Muslim representatives have been appointed to its Commission. This is concerning. Hon. Minister, please ensure inclusive appointments. Do not think our request is racist or that we see racism in everything. Either appoint Tamil and Muslim members or explain to this House why it cannot be done or who is objecting. This is Parliament, the supreme institution where we make decisions. We ask for fair representation.