The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, let me state what no one is saying: why is the NPP bringing this proposal? In the JVP era, about 72 MPs paid billions of rupees of their salaries and allowances into the party; many of them, following their conscience, have since left and no longer receive support from the party machinery. Those who left have no safety net. This Bill is driven by malice: to punish such people—honest former MPs who did not steal, who worked in good conscience, and who now cannot even afford medicine on a meagre Rs. 62,000.

¶ 02 Hon. Galappaththi knows that his friend, former MP Charitha Premasiri Manage, draws only Rs. 62,000 and cannot meet basic needs. He left their party machinery and is now abandoned. If he had kept the Rs. 6.7 million he paid into the party fund from his parliamentary emoluments, he could live off the interest. If the NPP claims this is about principle, ask them to return the Rs. 6.7 million he contributed.

¶ 03 We want a corruption-free Sri Lanka. But if people fear having no safety net, they will be tempted to engage in frauds—coal, sugar, container scams—to build their own reserve. Meanwhile, those who remain lifetime vassals to the party, serving any leader, get looked after by the party mechanism. That is a dangerous model.

¶ 04 This reform could have had a national purpose—yet it is led here by Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, who could certainly fund all pensions if he wished. What is being practised is crude politics.

¶ 05 Historically, pensions were introduced as honoraria for service—Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s government proposed such a payment to C. W. W. Kannangara, the father of free education. If reforms are needed, bring reasonable measures—e.g., targeted support for those in need, or contributory mechanisms—so that people who serve with clean hands and conscience, including from the poorest backgrounds, are not excluded from democratic politics.

¶ 06 At the same time, as a lawyer, I am saddened by how the Akuregoda incident is discussed. Lawyers are obliged to appear for clients; presumption of innocence applies. The Government’s instant claim that the slain lawyer was linked to the underworld was a very bad precedent. That statement should be withdrawn unless proven.

¶ 07 Also, to the Hon. Prime Minister and Hon. President: repeatedly labelling Sri Lanka as a “racist country” harms our image, especially as we promote tourism. We are a secular nation where people live together across caste and religion. If you are “eradicating racism,” please be specific about what and whom you mean, or else you will badly damage the country’s image.

¶ 08 Thank you.