The Hon. Manjula Suraweera Arachchi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, the Opposition is circulating massive amounts of misinformation about a purported coal scam. Our Ministers and MPs are providing scientific and technical clarifications. The Opposition is adept at lies and mudslinging—during the presidential election they spread falsehoods and were defeated; at the general election they did the same and we won a two‑thirds majority. Now, inside Parliament, they generate fabrications that cannot withstand even a week’s scrutiny. Despite their noise, public respect and trust in the President and this Government is increasing, as is clear from current evidence.

¶ 02 You can exploit parliamentary privilege to throw allegations, but the people’s mandate is to combat corruption and waste. That is why the President gains growing international recognition and global indices are acknowledging our anti‑corruption trajectory.

¶ 03 Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) coal power plant was built for a 30‑year horizon, commissioned in 2011; we know well what has transpired over 15 years. There are audit reports, FCID reports, and, as I recall, even a Supreme Court judgment in 2016. Those who now wail were the very ones who did deals using political power. When their conspiracies and crimes are halted and their expectations fade, they lament. We are importing coal under proper procedures, following correct tender mechanisms with transparency. In the past, procurement processes were blatantly violated; we now act strictly under the National Procurement Commission’s approvals.

¶ 04 If you can substantiate the financial account numbers you bandy about, table them: give the account numbers and names. Instead, baseless claims are made here and voice‑cuts given outside. The Opposition is withering; their bag of tricks keeps failing. We know how some dealt with entities like Black Sand Commodities; I will refrain from naming foreign firms as we must continue to work transparently with those countries.

¶ 05 By 2030, we move decisively to renewables. Diesel plants are unsustainable; globally, coal is also on the decline. There are technical and environmental issues to manage, and we are doing so while increasing the renewable share. Hydropower is around 35%; solar and wind together are between about 15–20% presently. Our goal is to raise renewables to 70% with a long‑term plan. We will answer allegations with performance, building a corruption‑free Sri Lanka. If the Opposition reflects on its past errors with remorse, that would be better than projecting unfounded suppositions on us.

¶ 06 This Government is turning loss‑making SOEs into profitable entities; Milco, which some sought to close or sell, is now paying dividends. Inflation is coming down. Those who engaged in theft and corruption are worried.

¶ 07 The Opposition is bankrupt of issues; even their agitations on education reforms have fizzled out. This latest lie will also become a noose around their own necks in two weeks. We will continue to communicate the truth and our honest approach. This is not a corrupt government; it is a democratic, anti‑corruption government. Thank you.