‘A bold reply to those who betrayed the country’:

My victory, a triumph for all - President

by Dinesh WEERAWANSA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that his resounding victory at Tuesday’s presidential election was not a personal victory but a triumph for everybody who loves the country.

Addressing media heads for the first time at Temple Trees, after his re-election with a landslide victory at the presidential election, President Rajapaksa said all loyal and patriotic forces worked tirelessly towards the UPFA’s success.

“This is not my personal victory, but a victory for the entire nation, especially for those who love this country and value its sovereignty and territorial integrity. I wish to thank everybody who made it possible and became a part of it,” he said.

He said that the malicious and mud-slinging campaigns by the Opposition failed to achieve the objective of opportunistic politicians.

“The masses have given a bold reply to those who betrayed this country. Now, it’s time to join hands and work tirelessly to take our country towards economic prosperity,” he said.

The President who secured a thumping majority of over 1.8 million votes at the presidential polls, said that the current electoral system could be changed only after the forthcoming general election which is due to be held before April this year. President Rajapaksa said there was hardly any time for a constitutional change to go back to the old electoral system. Hence, this could be done only after the forthcoming general election.

“If we revert to the old electoral system altogether, there won’t be an Opposition. Hence, we will propose a system which is a mixture of the old and new electoral systems,” he said.

Asked as to when he would dissolve Parliament to go for a general election, the President said, “It would be done soon, as early as possible”.

The President said that the implementation of the proposals made in his second presidential election manifesto - Mahinda Chintana Idiri Dekma, would commence from now.

Priority would be given to proposals that would seek to increase agricultural production to reduce the cost-of-living and for proposals that would make Sri Lanka a prosperous nation soon, he said.

President Rajapaksa said the Government would leave no room for the liberated country to be divided again and action should be pursued vigorously to achieve sustainable peace and amity by consensus.

“Don’t act in a manner which would create divisions and disrupt ethnic harmony,” he said.