Dullas says people have lost faith in Parliament

By Saman Indrajith

SLPP dissident MP Dullas Alahapperuma told Parliament yesterday that citizens of the country today wished for the deaths of all 225 MPs.

He said so while criticizing the government for excluding the dissident SLPP MPs from the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises).

“There is a serious public opposition, distrust and displeasure against Parliament. At a time when all citizens abhor this Parliament, it is not a prudent decision to fill the COPE positions with the government’s yes-men. I have seen social media posts of people asking whether it is the COPE committee or Pork Committee. Citizens wish and pray nothing but that the 225 MPs may attain nibbana,” Alahapperuma said.

SLPP dissident MP from the Colombo District, Wimal Weerawansa, said that henchmen of “a person who claims to have seven brains” had been appointed to the COPE. If the affairs of this House are conducted as per the wishes of that man, we all must be ashamed of ourselves. We call upon the government to rectify this error immediately,” Weerawansa said.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the SJB did not have powers to remove any names that had been originally proposed to the COPE.

SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said that many MPs with academic qualifications had been overlooked in making appointments to the COPE. ‘My name was there on the list. It has been removed. Dr Sudrashini Fernandopulle was on the COPA, she has been removed. Prof Tissa Vitarana has been removed. Dr Gunapala Rathnasekera has been removed,” Jayasekera said.

SLPP MP Ranjith Bandara said that it was wrong to call some MPs professors and challenged fellow MPs from where those MPs got their professorships. “Mine is a true professorship,” Bandara said.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that former COPE Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath should be appointed to the COPE once again.