Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has sent a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake regarding the abolition of pensions for Members of Parliament.
Acting as the Patron of the Association of Former Members of Parliament, he forwarded the letter to the President on behalf of the association.
In the letter, he pointed out that at the time of independence, politics was confined to the educated, wealthy landowning elite, but after 1956, ordinary citizens gained access to politics, resulting in a major social transformation.
He further noted that abolishing pensions for MPs would once again restrict politics to the wealthy, businesspeople, those who earn money through improper means, and affluent political parties, thereby preventing honest social workers from entering the political sphere.
Jayasuriya also highlighted that while a small number, including himself, have used their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the vast majority of former MPs depend on these pensions for their livelihood.
He therefore urged the President, in view of the government’s plans to introduce a new constitution, to pay attention to this matter and take appropriate steps. (Newswire)
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