The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, we see that this Government never accepts responsibility when wrongs occur due to its weakness, negligence, or incompetence. But when even a small good deed is done, it rushes to claim credit and glory, unwilling to acknowledge the true contributors.

¶ 02 It is clear that USD 2.5 million has been lost to the country through fraud and theft. Today, our public service is being subjected to politicized cadre appointments. Loyalists and cronies are placed without considering qualifications or competence. This politicization has seriously damaged the administrative service.

¶ 03 By 14 November 2025, four payments amounting to USD 2.5 million had been made. Proper year-end closing would have exposed the deficiency. Even when initial payments were made, the relevant invoices were not obtained; had they properly done so, the issue would have been detected early. Due to inefficiency and politicization, capable public officers were sidelined. While we are discussing rescue and insolvency, the nation’s resources are being lost. The responsibility to save the country from these disastrous processes falls on us.

¶ 04 Within this broken system, cadre-based politicization in the public sector must stop immediately. Appointing party foot soldiers into state offices should end. We call on public officers to act according to procedures, and not yield to political pressure. Even if the Government doesn’t value them, we do. We will protect and strengthen an honest and clean public service.

¶ 05 Freedom of expression and opinion, and the freedom to inform the public via social media, are being eroded. I hold here a Clean Sri Lanka circular from the Presidential Secretariat. Under this, cadres are being placed in Divisional Secretariats and other state offices. Due to criticism of appointments in Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia Divisional Secretariats, a social media activist and party member is now on remand at Dehiwala Police. For merely obtaining a printout from a Municipal Council officer at the request of our councillor, he was targeted because he criticized politicized placements under the Clean Sri Lanka programme. Is this the system change you promised?

¶ 06 You also made grand promises to the Malaiyaha Tamil community. Yet in Ratnapura District, a landless person representing the community was forcibly evicted by security forces for occupying a small plot. Remember, the plantation community, suffering in line rooms, sacrifices immensely to bring foreign exchange. The social compact you pledged to them now seems forgotten.

¶ 07 We seek to empower the Malaiyaha community and unemployed youth by granting small land parcels for tea plots and micro holdings, enabling asset ownership and entrepreneurship. Beyond temporary job quotas, we aim for medium- and long-term asset ownership.

¶ 08 To the relevant Minister, please treat the landless humanely when they occupy small spaces out of desperation—find solutions rather than demolitions. Democracy’s space is shrinking. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Samagi Jana Sandhanaya, and progressive forces of the Opposition will work together to ensure the democratic rights of our 22 million citizens. Thank you.