Thirty six former MPs got millions from President’s Fund

The Chief Government Whip and Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, stated in Parliament yesterday that 36 former Members of Parliament had received millions of rupees from the President’s Fund outside of its primary areas from 2005 to 2024.

Instead of fulfilling the objectives of establishing the President’s Fund, four former Presidents including Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe have arbitrarily given money from the fund for the medical conditions of politicians during the period 2005-2024.

This money has been obtained by misusing the privilege of a Member of Parliament and the Minister also revealed the relevant name list in Parliament.

The Minister also stated that although the public have to struggle a lot to obtain relief from the President’s Fund for their illness, a large amount of money such as Rs.30 million, Rs.18 million, Rs.12 million and Rs.10.6 million have been released for some politicians.

The expenditure of the Prime Minister’s Office Medical Unit during the period from September 1, 2022 to September 30, 2024 was Rs.12.1 million, and the expenditure of the Prime Minister’s Office Medical Unit, which is located close to the National Hospital is surprising, he said.

When the Presidential Fund Act No. 07 of 978 was passed, it was very clearly stated about a number of areas that needed help. Money can be spent on poverty, for the education of children. for the promotion of religion or the maintenance of religious practices, for any other purpose decided by the President or the Board and for those who perform certain services for the nation.

I have a document which mentioned how payments have been made from the President’s Fund during the period 2005-2024. I am trying to give a list of those who received assistance from the President’s Fund. Everybody knows how difficult it is for someone in a village to receive assistance from this fund for heart surgery or cancer. But former MPs P. Harrison, Piyasena Gamage, Sumedha G Jayasena, Manoj Sirisena, P. Dayaratne, S.C. Muthukumarana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Sarath Amunugama and S. B. Nawinna are some of those who received money from this President’s Fund.

However, it is difficult to find the names of others clearly. There is one name, J.P.D.P.K. Dayasekara. Who is Jayasekara? We know only one Jayasekara and he is Dayasiri Padmakumara Jayasekara. There is another name HNDP Silva from Kalutara District. This should be Piyal Nishantha. S.A.D. Premajayantha. Who is this? He must be Susil Premajayantha. Former Chief Minister of the Western Province Isuru Devapriya Dharmasena Perera also mentioned in the list.

There are others. S.A. Jagath Kumara has received Rs.1 million, K.P.S. Kumarasiri has received Rs.900,000, Jayalath Jayawardena, has received Rs.1 million, Namal Gunawardena has received Rs.1 million, Dharmadasa Banda has received Rs.1 million, Vidura Wickramanayake has been given Rs.Rs.1.5 million, Wimalaweera Dissanayake has been given Rs.30 million,. Lucky Jayawardena has been given Rs.1.6 million, P. Chandrasekaran has been given Rs.1.4 million, John Amaratunga has been given Rs. 4 million, Joseph Michael Perera has been given Rs.2.5 million, T.B. Ekanayake has been given Rs.4.8 million, W.M.S. Fonseka has been given Rs.5.5 million and he is not Sarath Fonseka. Former President’s Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Legal Advisor Jayantha Weerasinghe has been given Rs.9 million. Alick Aluvihare and Ranjith Aluvihare, have also received money. The entire Aluvihare generation has taken medicine from the President’s Fund. Rajitha Senaratne has been given Rs.10 million, Keheliya Rambukwella has been given Rs. 11 million, M.K.D.S. Gunawardena has received Rs.11 million and Ranjith Soysa has received Rs.15 million and D.M. Jayaratna has received Rs.30 million.

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