The Hon. Mujibur Rahman

¶ 01 I only spoke about rice. During your Ministry’s Head debate I said there are reports of problems with STC rice. Please table the quality report to clarify.

¶ 02 Also, across this Budget debate, there was little about genuinely raising state revenues. The President did not present a concrete roadmap for how the funding gap will be financed.

¶ 03 Your manifesto “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life,” page 103, under macro stabilization and public finance, promised zero VAT (0%) on essential domestic items like milk, eggs, infant milk, medicines, school books and supplies, publications, library services, agri equipment and fertilizer, solar panels and components, renewable energy equipment, vehicles/equipment for persons with disabilities, local software and IT services, and R&D services. People voted for you on that promise. Yet, rather than zero‑rating essentials and IT, you have imposed a new 15% tax on IT services and exports effective April 1, on top of not reducing VAT as pledged.

¶ 04 Many of your election promises are now broken. You spoke of corruption and the bond scam—promised to bring back Arjuna Mahendran, jail Ranil Wickremesinghe. Instead, you now foreground the Batalanda report while the bond issue recedes. You promised “Sinhabahu,” but now show “Andarela.”

¶ 05 Regarding Customs: it is a major revenue source, but now ordinary traders face harassment. Teams led by an officer named Bandara reportedly raid medium and small traders’ shops, scrutinize invoices and files, haul them in, and fine them—often beyond the Customs Ordinance.

¶ 06 [Debate continues]