The Hon. Jagath Vithana

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am very pleased to make my maiden speech in the Tenth Parliament. I am especially grateful to the people of Kalutara District for placing their hopes and trust in me. The Government side has become very strong. You told the people that all 225 are corrupt and social parasites. The people accepted that, and as a result you have gained more than a two-thirds type of power. It feels like we were hit by a tsunami.

¶ 02 I am not new to politics. I served ten years in a Pradeshiya Sabha and five years in a Provincial Council. This was my third attempt at entering Parliament. We were looking up from uphill. But I realized, from this election result, that I had chosen the right path.

¶ 03 I have always chosen public service. I did what I could personally for the people of my district. As a result, the people of Kalutara elected me to Parliament with a high vote. I must say: I became a common candidate for all—Sinhala, Muslim, Tamil. Among 150,000 Tamil and Muslim people and 1,250,000 Sinhala, I was elected as the common candidate. Do not label them as “minorities.” They are not minorities. Tamil and Muslim people trusted me; Sinhala people trusted me. With that mandate, I came to Parliament to face this challenge.

¶ 04 I say to the Government: I will agree with your decisions when I can. Our Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Sajith Premadasa, made a very good proposal. I saw no response from the Government stalwarts. What did he propose? He said we should free ourselves from the IMF trap; postpone it; seek lower interest and longer grace; push repayments to 2033. No one on the Government side commented.

¶ 05 We all face a big challenge. The common enemy is not you or us—it is the country’s bankruptcy, the collapsed economy. We must escape this trap. Another side is the common predator: the IMF, which day by day seeks to swallow us. We all must come together—not to seek privileges.

¶ 06 Yesterday the President made a good statement. But it must be proven by action: hand over luxury ministerial residences to departments or make them tourism facilities; convert the President’s House into a tourist bungalow; move ministers to the Madiwela MPs’ quarters. If they do so, very good. We will support that.

¶ 07 Let it be recorded under my name: I will never join a coalition government with the JVP. That earlier “Malli Mawa” front was JVP itself. Record my name. I am ready to make any sacrifice to support your cost-cutting. I have already won in life; I have no personal targets. Forgive me for saying so, but I have had many personal victories. All that remains is death. Before I die, I must do this duty for the country. That is why, after three attempts, I came to Parliament. I had no family politics or privileges. I came from nowhere through ability, as a people’s representative. So I ask you to take my help for your good work.

¶ 08 I am happy with this result. In the last Parliament we saw MPs crossing over for crores; switching sides for privileges. Now you do not need that. People are wise and have given you a strong mandate. No one needs to buy anyone; you need not open any salon doors. We need to work with you. Someone said they will take government in two years. We have no such thought. We want to save this country; defeat the common enemy and the common predator. Let us do the work with that understanding.

¶ 09 I must mention something I saw. I was disheartened, even after returning home. A pretty lady MP on the other side got angry with the Opposition. Do not scold us like that. You have been given power. Let us start a new journey. I do not know her name; she spoke yesterday. If needed, I will find the name. Do not talk like that. When I later saw on TV, I realized she is indeed a pretty lady. Please do not scold us that way.

¶ 10 My time is up. I agree with the Chair. Please note in your list that there is an MP who seeks no privileges.

¶ 11 Thank you very much.