SLPP General Secretary, MP Sagara Kariyawasam yesterday said that former Minister Basil Rajapaksa
is a very suitable person to lead the country. “Basil Rajapaksa is a leader who has demonstrated his leadership skills,”Kariyawasam said. He also said that during the war,he managed to get the necessary international support by dealing with the international community.
Kariyawasam said Basil Rajapaksa’s role as the Economic Development Minister in making this country one of the fastest developing countries in the world is commendable.
He said that Basil Rajapaksa brought development to the North and the East.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will never agree to any Act that interferes with the right to freedom of expression, which is a fundamental right of the people, SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said.
“Our party does not agree to any law or bill that in any way obstructs the right of the people to gain their rights democratically,” he added.
He stated this while addressing media at the SLPP party headquarters yesterday (11).
MP Kariyawasam further said that there is a lot of discussion about the Anti-Terrorism Act these days. The reason for bringing the Anti-Terrorism Act was the opinion that the facts contained in the Anti-Terrorism Act existing in Sri Lanka so far are not very compatible with democracy. Therefore, it was proposed to bring a new Anti-terrorism Act. This bill has not been presented yet. But based on the facts, there has been a lot of confusion in the country.
“As a party, we do not agree to any bill that infringes or interferes with the people’s fundamental right to freedom of expression. We as a party do not agree to any law that prevents or interferes with the right of the people to gain their rights democratically. As we have stated before, we are strongly of the opinion that some limitations should be imposed in the definition of a “Terrorist act” in this Act. If the Act comes with the ability to define every act as a terrorist act, it is not suitable for a democratic society It seems that even the Justice Minister who is bringing this Bill does not have faith in this Bill, so we as a party request the President if even the minister who is bringing the Bill does not have faith, then review this again and appoint a relevant expert committee regarding this Bill and consider it in a democratic way that is not contradictory,” he said.
“When a government presents a Bill to parliament, the most important thing is that the government presenting the Bill has credibility about that Bill.The SLPP opinion is that if there is no such belief, such a Bill should not be presented,”he added.