The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, the Leader of the Opposition and Hon. Faiszer Musthapha referred to a letter from the Defence Secretary stating the Dicha cyclone had ended. That is correct: the cyclone event is over. There were multiple cyclonic episodes which ended, and a notification was issued accordingly. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding of the language used. The cyclone ended, but post-disaster operations continue.

¶ 02 Two Hon. Members cited a Supreme Court judgment—SC/FR/246/2022. What was said there? For the first time in history, we brought emergency to serve the public’s benefit. In that case, Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, in paragraph 33, observed that as at 17 July 2022, the ground situation was not a public emergency warranting a Proclamation under section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance. You claim a President declared an emergency when there was no emergency. That judgment addressed that specific context.

¶ 03 We have now promulgated emergency regulations. The Hon. Member says the regulations must fit the situation. I agree: regulations must be proportionate to the context. But we ask the Opposition to show a single instance where these emergency regulations have been misused contrary to their true purpose. None has been shown. Our intent is to utilize the regulations genuinely for the public’s benefit.

¶ 04 History shows previous misuses of emergency—what some call the “Black January” record: attacks on media institutions, journalists killed or abducted, newspapers suppressed, television stations torched. That is not what we are doing. We face a distinct, genuine emergency: by 1 December 2025, 309,607 families were affected; there were 370 missing persons, 348 deaths, and 1,494 safe centres. Under such conditions, we ask that these emergency regulations be extended for a short period.

¶ 05 Some have alleged this is becoming a police state. We have not interfered with lawful police operations. We have not evicted officers from accommodation or interfered in such facilities, contrary to claims. The IGP makes transfers and decisions, and we have not obstructed him. The Opposition is attempting to tarnish the Police. Today, the Police are functioning independently of political interference, and that independence appears to irk some. We will continue to allow the Police to do their duty without political pressure.

¶ 06 Thank you.