‘Attack Chandrika’, president tells his henchmen!

 Wednesday, 09 April 2014

President Mahinda Rajapaksa summoned several of his closest ministers to Temple Trees yesterday (08) and ordered them to ruthlessly attack former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga through the media.

Worried by Mrs. Kumaratunga’s having hinted in public recently at Halmilara in Embilipitiya that she would return to politics, the president has given the order to Dilan Perera, Mervyn Silva, Nirmala Kotelawala, Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Sarana Gunawardena.

Also participating were ministers Dullas Alahapperuma and Keheliya Rambukwella. The president has specifically said that those who had joined the government from the UNP and Champika Ranawaka, Wimal Weerawansa and others from UPFA affiliate parties should not be used to attack the ex-president. Only the MPs and ministers of the SLFP should be employed for that task, the president has noted.

At this meeting, minister Alahapperuma has distributed among those present several documents pertaining to Mrs. Kumaratunga. It was stressed that the mission should convince the people that European countries dancing to the tunes of the Tamil Diaspora were in a conspiracy to bring her back to power.

‘Mal Kumara’ sells properties, sends money overseas!

 Wednesday, 09 April 2014

Lake House chairman Bandula Padmakumara, aka ‘Mal Kumara’, is reportedly selling his properties and sending the money overseas. He is being advised on that by his daughter Muthu Padmakumara, presently a staff member of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.

He has hastened to do so on the advice of his daughter after the government’s setback at the recent provincial council elections and the submission of a complaint to the Bribery Commission by a group of Lake House employees against his colleague Sendanayake.

Accordingly, the Queen’s Road, Colombo 3 house he had bought recently was sold for Rs. 475 million and the money deposited at the Colombo branch of a foreign bank. This money is due to be sent overseas in instalments within the next few weeks. Padmakumara purchased the house about a year ago from one Selvanayagam for Rs. 350 million.

Before becoming Lake House chairman, he had been living at a rented apartment at Hotel Road, Mt. Lavinia and was deeply in debt. Since then, using state powers, Padmakumara has influenced the Swarnavahini administration to pay him Rs. 600,000 a month for ‘Mul Pituwa’ and ‘Loka Sithiyamen’ programmes he is presenting, and Rs. 500,000 a month for Mobitel newspaper headlines. This in addition to his Rs. 400,000 salary, two official vehicles, unlimited fuel, a Rs. 500,000 credit card and rent for official residence as Lake House chairman.

There have been allegations of his having obtained millions of rupees in commission from the importation of printing paper and printing machines for Lake House. He had not brought that commission money to Sri Lanka, but got it sent directly overseas. The Bribery Commission is investigating this complaint.