The Hon. Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chair, I am honored to participate in today’s Committee Stage debate on the Expenditure Heads of His Excellency the President, the Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, and the Commissions.

¶ 02 Members of the Opposition keep talking about our People’s Liberation Front office in Pelawatta. In every period, they find a topic; now it is “the JVP office in Pelawatta.” In that office we are taught positive values, disciplined politics, and how to build unity among people; how to conduct politics with dignity among all communities; and how to develop the country without differences of race, language, or religion, and to rapidly uplift the economy of a lagging nation. I have experienced this from my entry into politics until today. Think for a moment about what happened in your party offices: how to prepare thugs, plan violence, share money looted from the Central Bank, and promote racist politics. Do not forget this.

¶ 03 A Member from your side admitted the stolen Central Bank money was shared at the Pitakotte office. Having lived lavishly by plundering the country, raising your families economically while making the people beggars—this is what your party offices did. The people know this.

¶ 04 Among today’s Expenditure Heads is Parliament. The money allocated must be used to deliver quality service to the people, since it is from taxpayers. We must use it properly through this august body to meet people’s needs and aspirations. Millions in taxpayers’ money are spent on Parliament. What do the Opposition Members do? They use the House to narrate personal issues, speak frivolously, and promote themselves on social media—wasting public money and precious time. This must change so that funds are properly used. Some Members are absent now; nonetheless, I believe they will listen to my speech.

¶ 05 On the President’s expenditure: our President, Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has reduced expenses. For January–September 2024, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe spent Rs. 124 million; for January–September 2025, our President has spent only Rs. 79.9 million—a saving of Rs. 44.1 million of taxpayers’ money for the people.

¶ 06 Previously, when Ranil Wickremesinghe traveled to the North, he came with two helicopters; even if a meeting was 2 km away, he would go by bullet-proof vehicle brought from Colombo. That was waste. Our President, wherever he travels, even long distances, uses only two vehicles—thus reducing costs.

¶ 07 On foreign travel: during 2010–2014, President Mahinda Rajapaksa spent Rs. 3,572 million; during 2015–2019, President Maithripala Sirisena spent Rs. 384 million; during 2020–2022, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa spent Rs. 126 million. But in February–September 2025, our President has spent only Rs. 1.8 million on foreign travel. Compared to former Presidents, the difference is like mountain and valley.

¶ 08 In 2013 alone, Mahinda Rajapaksa spent Rs. 1,144 million on foreign travel. Whose money is this? This is how you brought the country to ruin. Yet you come here sanctimoniously praising former Presidents. You should be ashamed. Think instead about how to rebuild the country with us.

¶ 09 He also spent public money on his whole family, even allegedly taking a dog by plane. Rohitha Rajapaksa’s visit to Japan was funded to the tune of Rs. 2 million through the Foreign Ministry. Under Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his son lived 21 months in a rented house in Los Angeles when there was no Consul; the Ministry paid. Mahinda Rajapaksa paid Rs. 300 million to a UK firm to prepare his UN speech. This is how taxpayers’ money was wasted. We will not do so; we set an example.

¶ 10 Our main programs: since 1978 the Presidential Fund operated through the Presidential Secretariat; now it has been expanded nationwide to the Divisional Secretariat level. People lacked access and awareness earlier. The President decided to deliver Presidential Fund services through all 341 Divisional Secretariats via a digital process. Those unable to come to Colombo now can submit applications easily. In 2025 so far, 4,535 applications have been received, compared to 2,902 in the same period in 2024. Financial assistance provided in the same period was Rs. 551 million in 2024 and Rs. 679 million in 2025. The Fund’s size has increased from Rs. 10 billion to Rs. 12 billion.