President makes hard hitting speech at Ven.Sobhitha Thera commemoration

Thursday, May 31, 2018

President Maithripala Sirisena said that when he won the election in 2015, the former President took all of the brand new vehicles with him leaving only two vehicles for him.

“I traveled for two and a half years in old vehicles,” President Sirisena said.

“There was a security device which could detect any explosive within a 100 meter radius which was used by the then President. I still do not know what happened to that device,” President Sirisena said.

The President was speaking at a special function to commemorate the 76th Birth anniversary of Ven.Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera yesterday. The President also expressed his concerns that he did not receive any invitation for the occasion.

“No one still knows who granted permission to the former President to fly to Tangalle in a helicopter. When I inquired from the Air Force, they said that I had given permission for that helicopter to fly, when I had not,” the President further said.

“A daily English newspaper had published about the actions by the present Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. The news item stated how the Malaysian Prime Minister had ordered the arrest of 9 ministers, 144 businessmen, 50 judges and 200 policemen on corruption charges within five days of coming to office.

“The story had also contained a picture of me,criticizing me stating ‘within three years?’ I then contacted the Sri Lanka High Commission in Malaysia and inquired about these matters and found out that the details in this story to be false. If a country can carry out such indictments within five days, then there is no law and order or diplomatic norms in that country. Hence, these statements are completely false,” the President said.

Speaking about the 100 day plan which was put forward prior to the elections, the President stated that he did not know about the person who made it.

“How could 47 seats in Parliament help implement the 19th Amendment? The best option would’ve been to dissolve Parliament the day I was sworn in as the President,” President Sirisena said.

The President also spoke about some proposals which were presented to the Cabinet.

“A proposal was made to transfer all the funds in the state banks to private banks. I was against this proposal which was debated for three months. If the proposal was passed, the Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, National Savings Bank and any state pawning outlets would have faced difficulties,” the President said.

“I am ready to work for a fair and just society which the public aspires. I would not back down from any challenge brought against me. If anyone wants more clarification or evidence about these matters, I am ready for an open discussion with anybody in any media,” the President concluded.