The Hon. Muhammad Faizal

¶ 01 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you! Ayubowan! Vanakkam!

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to join today’s debate on imports and exports. Due to the foreign exchange crisis, from March 2020 imports were restricted. That was because of the wasteful spending by past governments. Thereafter, the National People’s Power Government introduced phased relaxation for vehicle imports: from 1 October 2024 for public and special purpose vehicles; from 1 December 2024 for commercial and goods transport vehicles; and from 1 February 2025 for private-use vehicles.

¶ 03 Opposition MPs tried to turn this debate into something else, especially claiming a salt shortage. In Sri Lanka, salt is produced in areas such as Hambantota, Aanaiyiravu (Mannar), and Puttalam. I am from Puttalam. Salt is abundantly produced in Puttalam, creating mounds like small hills—in Palavi, in the town, and villages like Viruthodai. Salt is not produced by machines; it is a natural product—by sea water, wind, and heat. If it rains during harvesting, production drops. Many of my friends are in the salt industry; they confirm that rainy periods reduce attainable harvest.

¶ 04 Our Hon. Minister recently visited the Puttalam salterns, observed how to increase production, assessed the constraints, and pledged to provide support and resources to improve production. Yet the Opposition talks as if salt comes from machines. That is impossible. The recent shortage was due to climate change, not the NPP. Climate change has nothing to do with NPP. Because of it, there was a temporary shortage. Still, the NPP Government arranged imports to relieve the shortage, ensuring good-quality salt was available to the public even during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period.

¶ 05 Many Opposition Members keep talking about local authority elections. After 35 years, our party secured a Puttalam District MP from the ruling party in the last General Election. In the recent local authority elections too, we won across Puttalam—Municipal Council, Pradeshiya Sabhas like Vanathavilluwa—and gained equal representation in Karuwalagaswewa PS as well.

¶ 06 Opposition MPs introduced money politics—offering large sums, irrigation pumps, and goods to secure votes. The NPP spent not even a rupee—no posters—and still won. The Puttalam people are with NPP. In particular, the Muslim community in Puttalam stands with NPP. Opposition members even orchestrated fake votes; schoolchildren were sent to cast illegal votes, and three students were jailed for seven days and are now released. Police have evidence of this.

¶ 07 Those who came to Puttalam in the 1990s as internally displaced were cared for by the Puttalam people. Now Opposition MPs claim the ruling party offers Rs. 2.5 million per councillor to seize control of Karuwalagaswewa PS. They have normalized money politics. Whether Rs. 2.5 million or Rs. 5 million, they are still trying to buy councillors today and then falsely accuse NPP of doing the same. NPP will never indulge in this. We won Puttalam councils without spending on bribes or parcels or machines.

¶ 08 On reopening the Puttalam–Mannar road for the displaced to return: one Opposition MP, himself an IDP, has been in Parliament since 2001 and served three times as a Cabinet Minister. He made no effort then to open that road. Now he blames NPP. Our President and the NPP are working to open it. Those who are accused before the law now lecture us on court orders. Insha Allah, we will study and resolve this properly and reopen that route this year. The President and Ministers have assured this during visits to Mannar.

¶ 09 Therefore, Opposition MPs should stop spreading the salt-shortage story now that clear explanations have been given. The salt production dip was due to weather, not our Government. The Minister has explained measures taken on the ground. Across the country, Muslims trust the NPP and voted for us. We did not pay money, distribute parcels or machines. Yet they accuse us of offering Rs. 2.5 million to buy councillors—without evidence. We must end money politics and ensure voters can freely choose.

¶ 10 Earlier, NPP had no member in Puttalam; today we have many across the electorate. The Muslims of Puttalam believed in the President and the NPP and voted for this Government. We will, Insha Allah, work to end money politics in Puttalam and across the country, eradicate racism, and ensure all communities live without discrimination. The NPP Government will deliver good governance and development. With vehicle imports permitted, we will also see economic growth. Thank you.