Nobody could match President at polls

Government legislators who joined in the Committee Stage debate of Budget 2015 said a snap Presidential Election could be held early next year and demonstrated the Government's utmost confidence to face any future national election. Some Government members commented on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's outstanding leadership and added that there is no candidate to match him or at least pose a challenge at any future Presidential election.

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who joined in the Committee Stage debate on the financial headings of the President's expenditure referred to the charismatic leadership of the President as the only leader who defeated the three-decade old LTTE terrorism and created a united country where all communities could peacefully coexist with one another. The Minister said even Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had endorsed the President's right to call for a Presidential election. He also said that since Wickremesinghe's uncle was the architect of the Executive Presidency he is committed to safeguard and promote it.

Minister de Silva's speech was a clear reflection on the landmark achievements made, during the tenure of the President. He outlined the President's far-sightedness to defeat terrorism and preserve the unitary status of the country. The President's initiatives after defeating terrorism had paved the way to create a stable economy. The Minister focussed on how the President had built his image among the people as a sensitive leader who feels the pulse of the masses. The most striking trait in the President is his close rapport with the masses. Dismissing the comments by Opposition members on the allocation of large amounts of funds on the Financial Head of the President, Minister de Silva said that they would approve such allocation of funds to President with great pleasure.

However, some Opposition members criticised the amount of funds allocated to the President. The Government members continuously interrupted DNA parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the Committee Stage debate over the financial headings of the President. This led to suspend the sittings for five minutes in the morning session on Monday. The MP was continuously interrupted by Highways, Ports and Shipping Projects Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake and UPFA MPs A.H.M. Azwer and Sajin de Vass Gunawardena. As the interruptions continued, presiding member and Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu suspended sittings for five minutes. Even after suspending the sittings, some members were remained in the Chamber ridiculing one another. When the House resumed sittings MP Dissanayake continued his speech.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage who joined in the debate criticised the remarks by MP Dissanayake. He called upon Dissanayake to give up hate politics and also not attempt to create unnecessary problems in the country. The Minister said that the JVP cannot survive without creating problems. He said the JVP was also not fortunate enough to help in the Government's attempt to end terrorism. He told the JVP that whatever they say the vast majority of people are always with the President. Minister Aluthgamage threw a challenge to MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake to contest as the JVP's Presidential candidate the next Presidential Election.

The Executive Presidency became a centred topic during the Committee Stage debate as both Government and the Opposition members expressed their views on it. Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who joined in the debate said though various views had been expressed by the Opposition politicians and others on the Executive Presidency, nobody proposed to curtail the powers of the Presidency or abolish it. The Premier said that the incumbent President has also exercised the same powers as his predecessors. The Prime Minister who condemned the attempts by certain sections to grab power with hate, said that a few individuals should not be allowed to destroy democracy to realise their narrow political objectives. He stressed the importance of the Executive Presidency and said it was not prudent to abolish it. The country has achieved rapid development thanks to the powers vested in the Presidency. Is there any other leader in Sri Lanka who could match President Rajapaksa? the Prime Minister asked.

The inability of the main Opposition UNP to face a future election came to light when Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga requested to postpone the next Presidential election after Pope Francis' proposed visit in January. Amaratunga said that holding a Presidential election during the Pope's visit to the country would be a great injustice to the Pope and the Catholic community.

He said the Government should postpone the Presidential election as the Catholic community should be allowed to participate in the papal visit without let or hindrance. Even though the Government has not yet announced the date for the Presidential election, MP Amaratunga said that there are rumours that the Presidential election will be held early next January.

The Vatican has already announced that Pope Francis would arrive in Sri Lanka on January 13, 2015, he said. Amaratunga said that the country would not be in a position to participate in the papal visit if there is an election to coincide with it.

UNP parliamentarian, Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha who opened the Committee Stage debate on the expenditure of the Defence and Urban Development Ministry said when the majority of Sinhala politicians represented the interests of all Sri Lankans, some minor political parties pursued agendas inimical to the national interest.

Citing an example the MP said the SLMC's demand for a Muslim-majority administrative unit in the Eastern province is similar to the LTTE's demand for a separate state in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. All parliamentarians should strongly oppose this move and the Government should take action against it, he said.

MP Rajapaksha said that SLMC's call for a separate administrative unit is equal to the separatist demands by Tamil Leaders such as Amirthalingam and Chelvanayagam. The MP regretted that some Muslim leaders are attempting to instigate youth to campaign for a separate administrative unit for the Eastern province.

What would happen if the Sinhalese also demand separate administrative districts for them on the basis of the demand made by the Muslims? The separatist move by the SLMC should be strongly opposed by other political parties. Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who responded to the concerns raised by the MP said that he also endorsed the views expressed by the Opposition MP.

The premier thanked the MP for highlighting the issue and told the House that the Government will not permit any moves to divide the country based on ethnic lines.

It was clearly witnessed during the Committee Stage debate on the attempts made by the Opposition members to sling mud at the Government without resorting to any constructive criticism on the budget. UNP parliamentarian Niroshan Perera who participated in the Committee Stage debate on the expenditure of the Highways, Ports and Shipping Ministry alleged that the Hambantota Port has been leased out to China for 40 years.

The MP demanded to know from the Government whether at least the Cabinet had been informed of the deal.

However, Government members including Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake responded to the remarks by the MP. Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena who challenged MP Perera said that he would resign from his post immediately if the Opposition could present documentary evidence to prove that the Hambantota Port has been leased out to China.