The Hon. S.M. Marikkar

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I don’t even know the name of the previous speaker; according to him, they did everything while others sat idle. During the “86947” disaster, I ran a field kitchen for five days at Vimalārāma Temple in Wellampitiya, Kolonnawa, and sent boats. When the Government sent two boats, we sent two as well.

¶ 02 Usually the President comes monthly to Parliament to correct Government errors. Yesterday he came to save his friend—someone who was not even a candidate at the last General Election, who faced allegations at the Fertilizer Corporation, brought in via the National List and handed the country’s power sector. He came to protect that friend. They staged a small drama—claiming to add 270 MW to the grid by putting a bit of old Russian coal and boosting pick-up, while MPs kept quiet.

¶ 03 We raised since December 30 the defects in ships arriving under this coal tender. The Minister said “no problem.” When the first ship failed, they said they imposed US$2.1 million in penalties. We said forget Cotecna or Indian reports—accept Lakvijaya’s real-time generation report. They didn’t. Ships were late; after the third ship, we asked at the Oversight Committee to cancel the tender; they said no. We said at least cancel two ships; they refused. Delays continued; no demurrage was charged; later they rescheduled ships beyond April 20. They ignored us.

¶ 04 Ajith P. Perera asked about secret emergency procurements; the Minister denied excess prices. Now, due to emergencies, Rs. 4.2 billion loss: market coal at US$98.50 per MT vs US$142.9 per MT paid, with 60,000 MT per ship, five ships—US$13 million extra, Rs. 4.2 billion. File another case at CIABOC.

¶ 05 Yesterday, the former Chair and DG of the Film Corporation were sent before courts for Rs. 14 million losses; yet here Rs. 4,200 million is at stake. We said when the third ship failed during Ramadan: cancel and talk to bidders two through five to supply at the right price. They wouldn’t. Now in the next tender they will slice lots and award to the lowest and others—exactly what we urged earlier.

¶ 06 If they had cancelled after three failing ships and split five ships among the rest, we would have received spec-compliant coal, had no power cuts, no tariff hikes, no accusations against the Minister, and the President wouldn’t need to come to defend him. He even blurted the “not by tasting” line—uncharacteristic of his usual restraint. If JVP were in Opposition, they would have said they “tasted” every piece, checked even the pits in the coal.

¶ 07 This isn’t just our claim; the Special Audit Report states at 6.2.18 that, amid public and committee challenges on coal quality, action was inadequate. At 6.2.28 it notes the company failed to use the “umpire sample” provision to correct issues. We repeatedly requested umpire sampling.

¶ 08 Further, the report notes coal samples were said to be issued by Mitra SK South Africa (Pty) Ltd, while some reports were signed by PT Mitra SK Analisa Testama Samarinda (Indonesia), but no such reports were observed. At 6.2.48, as of 31 March 2026, the company had not submitted its relevant operating licenses—no license to conduct such sampling. How will some MPs defend this?

¶ 09 Hon. Deputy Speaker, at 6.2.5, the report says in 9 out of 12 ships (except the 1st, 10th and 12th) many parameters at the unloading port were non-compliant. We said this three months ago and were ridiculed.

¶ 10 At 6.3.1, by reducing the higher-GCV proportion from 500,000 MT to 100,000 MT, tender conditions enabled suppliers accustomed to near-reject-level coal (around 5,900 kcal/kg) to qualify. We warned that cutting the window from 42 to 21 days would keep experienced companies out—now it is proven.

¶ 11 Demurrage on five vessels should be US$445,000; on 18 ships, around US$2 million. The loss from low-grade coal before oil price hikes was Rs. 8,475 million; with higher oil, about Rs. 11,000 million—so 18 ships is about Rs. 22,000 million plus US$2 million demurrage. Emergency buys add about Rs. 4,000 million. This exceeds the bond scam by several multiples. You cannot talk your way out of this.

¶ 12 Now they plan a spot tender to a non-qualified company to bring coal from South Africa. At p. 104, 6.3.4, the report says Trident Chemphar was selected, and Taranjot Resources (Pvt) Ltd—registered only in 2023 and a bidder for 2025/26—had supplied 1,115,900 MT in the assessed 36 months with GCV values below the 5,900 kcal/kg reject threshold. One lie covers another. Speeches drafted from Pelawatte summaries fail at execution—exposing inexperience and fraud.

¶ 13 This coal case has turned the President—once trusted—into the “Coal Prince,” with substandard coal like chewing gum on his face. Out of 150 in the alliance, 149 say prayers; because of a few, all suffer.

¶ 14 Where is that “conscience” invoked during the substandard drug scandal when we brought the no-confidence motion—unlike the JVP, which stayed away? We will see that conscience sold and destroyed.

¶ 15 Thank you.