The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer — Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs

¶ 01 Thank you, Madam Presiding Member.

¶ 02 From the previous speech, one would think some are perfectly pure while all others are not. Why such fear and clamour about Emergency? It is understandable the Opposition is anxious—history shows how, when in power, they misused Emergency in 1988–89, in July 1983, and under J.R. Jayewardene to suppress media and people to cling to power. Anyone fair-minded knows this.

¶ 03 The “Ditva” cyclone caused massive destruction nationwide, creating a disaster situation. This is the first time our Government is extending Emergency in this term, to rapidly create the conditions to rehabilitate affected people. Using Emergency, we mobilized quickly—sending people from Galle to Kandy, Kalutara to Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota to other areas via local authorities—to restore normalcy. The Opposition cannot point fingers; we have not used Emergency to suppress media or people as past governments did. Everyone with a conscience knows this.

¶ 04 Some spoke of 2017 when the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapsed; that single incident led the then Yahapalana Government to declare a nationwide emergency. Reflect on that before lecturing us now.

¶ 05 An Opposition MP claimed Sri Lanka ranks worst for environmental pollution. Consider your own record—how your administrations damaged the environment and abused power through corruption. In just over a year, we have been cleaning the country of such corruption. Under Emergency, we are focused on rehabilitating affected people.

¶ 06 On the Mannar–Puttalam road issue raised yesterday by an Hon. Member who asked about our “political conscience”: when he was in powerful Cabinet office for 25 years in the past, why did he not repair and open that road properly? Everyone knows his dealings with Basil Rajapaksa. Social media lays these out. In court, regarding the related case, he informed that he did not oppose the decision of the learned lead respondent. He tells one story in court and another here.

¶ 07 Yesterday morning, Hon. Minister Bimal Rathnayake answered Hon. Kader Masthan under Standing Order 27(2) and clearly set out the Government’s stance and the people’s real problems on the Puttalam–Mannar road; even Hon. Masthan thanked the Government then. Some, now politically orphaned, are trying to revive two-decade-old politics around that road.

¶ 08 Next, on the Nurachcholai (Nuraicholai) housing scheme funded by the Saudi Government: 500 houses were to be given to people, but an Eastern politician is again scheming to block it. I need not name him; all know who he is. I even checked with former Minister M.H.M. Ashraff’s office in past discussions, and learned that when those houses were to be given to deserving people, this politician incited southern racists to protest and block it. Now, as we seek to revive and deliver those houses, that same person is again engaging in racist activities out of fear he cannot do politics if people receive their due. Some who style themselves as guardians of the Muslim community keep misleading the community and blocking benefits for political gain.

¶ 09 On my Ministry: mosques should not be politicized, but unfortunately some politicians used religious places to exert power. Under this administration, we will work to change that. Thank you.