The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I have already stated my position regarding the Parliamentary Members’ pension. I have acted in this Parliament according to my conscience. I was the one who spoke against curtailing the powers and privileges of former Presidents including Mahinda Rajapaksa, and I cast the single vote in this House against the Bill to abolish presidential privileges. That was my vote. I say again today: I say what must be said; I do what must be done; and I act with my head held high. I have also submitted an amendment to the Bill to Abolish Parliamentary Pensions, opposing the removal of Members’ pensions.

¶ 02 Here is why. There are former Members of Parliament who live solely on the pension. There are such Members who cannot even afford basic medicines today. Not every former MP is in that condition, but there are many who are. It was the JVP that bombed this Parliament in 1987-88. The one who died in that bombing was Mr. Keerthi Chandra Siri Abeywickrama, the Member for Morawaka in the Matara District. His widow, Ms. Morawaka Yapa Abeywickrama, is today receiving a parliamentary pension. I wish to recall that fact as well.

¶ 03 Your party first had a Member of Parliament in 1994: not from the NPP, but from the JVP under the “flower vase” symbol, Hon. Galappaththi. From then on, 62 Members have, at various times, received the parliamentary pension—crossing and returning over multiple elections in 1994, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015. Many Members representing the JVP/NPP, including front-rowers on the Government side today, drew the pension. We do not know whether they gave that money to charity, to temples, or for house rent; but they did receive it. Therefore, I am asking that those funds drawn as parliamentary pensions be returned to the Treasury. I will place the relevant documents before the House.

¶ 04 Since Hon. Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala mentioned cricketer Pathum Nissanka, I must also speak about the India–Pakistan cricket match. I do not know whether our President spoke in Hindi, Urdu or Tamil with the Prime Minister of Pakistan; but in some language he persuaded the Pakistan team to come here, working with our SLC President, Shammi Silva, to stage the match in Sri Lanka. For that, we must say thank you. As a result, large numbers from India visited Sri Lanka.

¶ 05 Next, the Badulla District Secretary, Mr. Panduka Sri Prabath, has been transferred without any fault. I do not know why. During the recent cyclone, that officer rendered immense service. Yet he has been moved out for no reason. I must mention this.

¶ 06 The Minister of Justice called us thieves and plunderers. Please note this, Hon. Minister of Justice, and Hon. State Minister in charge of Police, as you also mentioned my name “Chamara.” This is about the Sekkuwatta playground of the Ja-Ela Municipal Council. For 52 years, this ground was under the Ja-Ela MC. Now, someone is trying to claim ownership, and the council is preparing to pay Rs. 19 million of municipal money to a private person as some “deposit” into the Ja-Ela Divisional Secretary’s account regarding the Sekkuwatta Grounds. This is blatant corruption. Municipal money is public money. How can public funds be paid to another person claiming ownership after 52 years? There is a major racket here. Hon. Prime Minister, please investigate.

¶ 07 Now to those calling us corrupt and thieves: here is a person who sought NPP nomination from the Thalangama area—Leelarathna Naraddage. This is in the Minister in charge of Police’s own electorate. I have here the photos of him, his wife Sudarmika Biloni, and their children. They run a so-called “Japan migration center,” allegedly defrauding innocent people promising jobs in Japan. I also have the marriage certificate of Ms. Sudarmika Biloni, attested by Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake. I will table all these documents, including the agreements drawn by a lawyer to extract money from victims. If I am wrong, tell me at the next sitting that I lied. But if Ministers come here well-dressed to call us “thieves,” then look into these too. Here are letters from victims who paid Rs. 2–3 million, even mortgaging homes, and complaints are not being accepted. Why? Because it involves the family of an NPP candidate. Do not protect such rackets. That is not why this Government was formed.

¶ 08 As for stopping MPs’ pensions: I am not saying this because I want a pension. I do not get a pension. I first came to Parliament in 2015 and served only months; in 2019 I returned, and both I and the current Prime Minister served for about four years and then left. I do not qualify for a pension. My amendment to this Bill is because among pensioners are helpless, innocent people who cannot even buy medicine—receiving only Rs. 62,000 monthly. Hon. Dilith Jayaweera just spoke about a former MP receiving Rs. 62,000. If you pass this Bill, make it operative from the date the Speaker signs—let it be prospective from that date, not retrospective. As a lawyer, Hon. State Minister in charge of Police, you know this is how law should operate.

¶ 09 Now on seat belts: today one cannot travel on expressways without seat belts, but do all buses have them? Give time and alternatives before enforcement. Do not act without providing viable options.

¶ 10 You boast about cutting MPs’ pensions and about raising tea workers’ pay by Rs. 200, but many companies have not paid it; in practice a worker must pluck an extra four kilos to get that Rs. 200. If you remove MPs’ pensions, then create a pension for the helpless tea workers who toiled on estates for 200 years—give them Rs. 10,000 or Rs. 20,000 after retirement. That would be honourable.

¶ 11 You spoke about the Minister of Justice’s relative, Mr. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who receives a parliamentary pension, and Hemakumara Nanayakkara who has received it. If you have a principle, apply one law to all. Let us all be clean. I am ready to face my cases—hear them—but also look at others’ files. Do not only look upward and attack selectively.

¶ 12 You spoke of Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike. At her electoral defeat, she sought only Rs. 500 as a pension for widows—she did not seek self-benefit. Do not malign the Bandaranaike family that gave this nation free education, from which many of you benefited: to become graduates, lawyers, and businessmen. Do not forget who made that possible.