President feels the pulse of the common man – Deputy Minister Faizer Musthapa

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Technology and Research Deputy Minister Faizer Musthapha, the forthright and affable politician representing the Kandy district who was elevated as a President’s Counsel recently said that certain politicians who don’t concentrate on real development rouse racial feelings to secure votes. Some minority parties think they can always demand the full pound of flesh which is absolutely wrong.

The Deputy Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said that the majority parties should make a concerted effort to woo the minority votes and help groom leaders from the minority communities.

He said after 54 years, he won a seat on the UPFA ticket in the Kandy district without indulging in racial politics. Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Deputy Minister is confident that he could effect a change. He said he got as many Muslim votes, as Sinhala and Tamil votes at the last General Election. He believes that as a secular politician people are with him, but further progress in this regard is desired.

Commenting on the decision to do away with the preferential voting system at Local Government elections, Deputy Minister Musthapha said this would pave the way to the intelligent and civic-conscious people to enter the mainstream of politics. Today one with very limited resources cannot enter the Parliament under the present preferential voting system, while a person who has adequate resources can market himself.

Therefore, this change has to be brought to see that the educated, honest and civic-conscious people enter the Parliament. He said with consensus, it would be possible to introduce this system to Provincial Councils and Parliamentary elections as well.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: President Mahinda Rajapaksa celebrated his seventh anniversary in office last week and it is universally accepted that the war victory was his greatest achievement. Would you think there are other significant measures taken by the Government for the socio-economic development under his leadership?

A: Defeating the most ruthless terrorist organisation is a unique achievement. Specially the West and many others said that the LTTE, the only terrorist organisation which had air power cannot be militarily defeated. However, the difference between President Rajapaksa and other leaders was that he expedited development in the midst of efforts to defeat terrorism. Most of our leaders were either from Gampaha or the Colombo districts.

The main GDP contributors were from these two economically empowered districts.

The President who hails from one of the most underdeveloped areas such as Hambantota feels well the pulse of the common man. He is always in close rapport with farmers. He did not confine himself only to tangible development such as carpeting roads and giving water to the people. But it is not going to change the life of the people.

Sometimes the people don’t know that I have been to places where there were no proper roads and people found it difficult to take patients to and from hospital.

That has been changed today. Earlier the people in rural communities were treated as backward. President Rajapaksa changed it and gave vibrancy to their livelihoods.

Q: The two main parties had agreed to change the Local Bodies Election Act to do away with the preferential voting system and revert to the ward system with necessary amendments. Why not the same system be implemented in respect of PC and Parliamentary elections?

A: In the preferential voting system especially you see intra-party rivalry when it comes to preferential votes. Today it is the very same phenomenon in elections other than the Presidential Election where you vote for your party and the Presidential candidate. In all other elections, you see intra-party rivalry.

The Kandy district which I contested, was like a mini-war. Some results were cancelled and the elections were held again in those electorates. Therefore, I think it’s a good decision taken to do away with the preferential voting system in Local Government Elections. This Government has always advocated progressive thinking. I am sure with the consensus of all, we would be able to introduce this system to Provincial Councils and Parliamentary elections as well. The preferential system leaves much to be desired.

Today you could see money talks. Today unlike somebody with very limited resources one with adequate resources can market himself. So it is not always the best of those who could enter Parliament. You have to have resources to a certain extent and some people spend millions and billions for elections.

It is very difficult for an underprivileged person to enter the Parliament under this system. Therefore, a change has to be brought about to ensure that the educated, honest and civic-conscious people enter Parliament. Now the option is the National List to which the educated people are nominated. Educated people who have no resources are shying away politics.

They feel that they need lots of resources to do politics. The change to be effected will ensure that the intelligent and civic-conscious people enter the mainstream of politics.

Q: Some minority parties always engage in politics based on communal lines which is detrimental to the inter-communal harmony. Your comments?

A: It is reprehensible. Let us look at the dimension in the East. There were Muslim and Tamil parties which contested on Communal lines. I always believed in being secular. The minority community and the majority communities should live in peace.

The thirty years of terrorism has caused us to be compartmentalised. During the past 30 years, when a Muslim got caught in a bomb explosion by the LTTE, he would have had a certain amount of hatred towards the Tamil community.

Similarly when there were certain operations, some civilians also got caught so that they would have had hatred towards Sinhala community. If we take the 1983 riots, it was done by those who tried to get economic advantage. But the people who suffered had a bitter feeling towards other communities.

These communalist parties rouse people’s hatred to secure votes. The politicians who don’t concentrate on real development trigger racial feelings. You see minority parties always demand for the full pound of flesh. That is wrong. I would like to say that the majority parties should make a concerted effort to woo the minority votes. They have to groom minority leaders. After 54 years, I won a seat on the UPFA ticket from Kandy district without resorting to communalist politics. Nobody could do it. Under the leadership of the President, I believe I can effect a real change, because I got as many Muslim votes, as Sinhala and Tamil votes at the last General Election. I believe if you are a secular politician people are with you and further progress is desired in this regard.

Q: Some of the constituent members of the UPFA Government are agitating for the abolition of 13th Amendment to the Constitution. As Deputy Minister, how do you view this situation?

A: Everybody has a personal opinion, collective responsibility as well as his party view. Everybody can also express his views. Our President is a very open-minded Leader. That is why Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and leftist parties have rallied round under one alliance. You can’t restrict their airing views.

Any amendments to the Constitution will be introduced through consensus reached among all those constituent parties. I am a politician who personally opposes to the 13th Amendment.

Earlier also I have said that the 13th Amendment is a white elephant. It was designed to solve the present problem in the North and the East. But the Northern Provincial Council is defunct.

The first Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council declared Eelam and ran away to India. Today we don’t have problems in other provinces. With regard to other provinces, I mean, it’s a duplication of resources. If my Leader tells me that the 13th Amendment is important, I will abide by the party dictates as a member of the SLFP. My personal view is that 13th Amendment is a white elephant. It was introduced to create ethnic harmony and solve the problems faced by the people in the North and the East. Tamil parties say that it’s not a solution and so are the Sinhala parties. Nobody has said that the 13th Amendment is a solution to the problem.

Q: In the context of the present crucial issues such as the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice, don’t you think that certain unscrupulous elements are engaged in a malicious campaign to pose that there is a rift between the legislature, judiciary and the executive?

A: As an Attorney-at-Law and also in keeping with the statement made by the Speaker that nobody should air their views on the impeachment, I should not speak anything about the impeachment motion. If I express any views with regard to this, I will be violating the directions given by the Speaker.

Q: How do you analyse the Budget 2013?

A: The President in this Budget has addressed every sector and issues in the country. I think this Budget would be a great impetus to the country’s economic prosperity.

Q: However, the Opposition claims that Budget 2013 is non-vibrant in the context of budgetary norms except being beneficial to a handful of super-rich elite. Your comments?

A: This is what the Opposition had been telling after the presentation of each Budget. Has the Opposition ever said that this is a good Budget? There is the phenomenon called people’s forum and people’s power. The UPFA has won in every single election held so far. Even when there was a drought in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the Opposition had no say in those districts.

The President had clearly said that he wants to see whether the people are with the Government in difficult times. When there was a bumper harvest, some previous Governments decided to hold elections in the North Central Province. But the President said that we must test whether the people are with the Government even during difficult times. Even in difficult circumstances, people gave a resounding mandate to the UPFA Government. At the end of the day, the Opposition needs to say something. Constructive criticism is however encouraged.

Q: The Opposition is trying to criticise the Budget over the tax waivers granted to the import of racing cars including Lamborghinies. What are your comments?

A: You can’t get Lamborghinies through the Budget. The Problem is that the Opposition is being humiliated by the people at every election. The comments by the Opposition on the tax concession given to racing cars is utter rubbish.

If you look at the Budget this tax concession has been granted only for gocarts and formula cars for the purpose of promoting the tourism industry in the country. Properly speaking people who don’t study the Budget should not comment on it. There are some people who merely utter something. If somebody says that you can import Lamborghinies, Ferraries and whatever car you want, it is not so. In India, they have opened a formula one track. Why are they doing it? This is to encourage and promote their tourism industry. Today, tourism has changed.

If you hold an international event, you can attract tourists. If we can have a formula one track in Sri Lanka and get gocarts and racing cars for that purpose, it would help promote the country’s tourism industry. These cars cannot be driven on ordinary road and hence it is done with the purpose of promoting tourism.

The Opposition is trying to capitalise on just one word in the Budget and criticise the Budget which is a fruitless exercise. Today nobody knows what the Opposition is? Nobody knows who the Opposition Leader is? Nobody knows what the Opposition is doing. When the UPFA was in the Opposition, we were a vibrant Opposition. Unfortunately the present Opposition does not have any direction and the people are deserting it due to the strength and the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa’s vision is our strength.

Q: Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that Budget 2013 would be illegal until the amendments recommended by the Supreme Court are implemented. What have you to say about it?

A: The second reading of the Budget was passed with an overwhelming majority in Parliament. The Government will never do anything illegal. This Government has always acted within the boundaries of the Constitution.

Q: Two Writ applications have been submitted to restrain the members of the Parliamentary Select Committee from continuing the probe on the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice. How do you view the legal implications?

A: To comment on this would be subjudice as it’s pending in a Court of Law. As an Attorney-at-Law and a Member of Parliament, I can’t comment on it. I highly respect all these institutions. I would be trespassing the powers of these institutions by commenting on it while the case is pending. If you pose the question after the case is completed, I will express my views.

Q: All parties are talking about a Parliamentary Select Committee to reach consensus on the problems of the Tamils. What is the present stand?

A: The TNA has also become an integral part of this process. The Government is trying to get them to participate in it. In fact, we have asked them repeatedly to participate in this process.

The sovereignty of the people is exercised through Parliament. What better forum is there to discuss any issues than Members of the legislature in a Select Committee expressing their views and working together in finding a solution. The Government alone can’t do it in isolation. That is why the President had said through the select committee process it will work towards a solution and then there would be a consensus. If there is a consensus in the select committee, it would be very easy to reach a national consensus on this issue.

Q: You were recently appointed as a President’s Counsel which is an another feather in your cap as a legal professional. How do you hope to discharge the functions of your legal profession with your busy political life?

A: I have always balanced my life. Apart from being a Deputy Minister, I am also a practising lawyer and have discharged my duties well. That is why the President appointed me as a President’s Counsel. But I have been elected by people and that is very important to me. I am capable of handling both areas to the best of my ability. I will not allow my clients to suffer because of my politics. Neither will I allow my politics to suffer because of my legal profession.

Life is very short and doing diverse things is something which I believe that one should aim at. Both law and politics are very passionate to me. I like addressing the issues of the people. At the same time, law has fascinated me.

That is why I have achieved this success. It is 19 years of hard work that brought me to the position of President’s Counsel. I must be thankful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for appointing me as a President’s Counsel at 43 which I consider to be relatively young. My father is also a practising President’s Counsel. One thing which I am very happy about is when I took oaths, my father said it is the greatest day of his life. Therefore, I am very happy, being in the profession, my father got the opportunity of witnessing me taking oaths as a President’s Counsel.