Kiriella blasts above the law presidency

“…in a country with a written history of even kings being tried before courts and punished”

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella told parliament last week (23) that the constitution made according to modern laws has beendeliberately written in a manner to save the executive presidency with immunity from the courts.

“This is in a country with a written history of even kings being tried before courts and punished. When Kandyan King Sri Narendrasinghe was found guilty ofviolating the ‘Raja Neethiya’ underwent due punishment of taking 25 sandbags to the Pattini Devale that was being renovated at the time. The king was not above the law. In this country under Sinhala laws there were provisions to try a king before a court. Today under modern constitutions we do not have it,” Kiriella said while participating in the committee stage debate on budget 2023.

He said that there is no other country in the world having a president with matching immunity powers enjoyed by the Lankan President. “All other countries allow in their constitution, a provision to sue a ruler while he or she is in office,” Kiriella asserted. Everyone who manipulated the people into voting for the SLPP administration into power must apologize to the people, Kiriells said.

“There were officials, professionals, artistes, etc., that manipulated people. They must publicly apologise to the people. The government MPs can’t go to the village and that’s why they are delaying elections,” he said.Kiriella said that various governments delayed elections, expecting to hold them at a more convenient time. “However, this only made the governments unpopular. People are angry. An election will give them a chance to elect a government they want. Otherwise, people will get on the road and there will be chaos,” he said.

The SJB MP said that in 2020 and 2021, the SLPP administration was blinded by power and carried out a number of disastrous initiatives. “They brought in the 20th amendment ignoring standing orders. We brought 40 amendments. Minister Ali Sabry who was the Justice Minister ignored them all. He too was blinded by power. They fell from their high horses this year. A few months ago, during the height of the Aragalaya, Minister Sabry was in tears and whined that he would leave ministerial positions. Now, he has found his voice again. He was pompous again on Thursday,” he said.

Kiriella said the Wickremesinghe administration is not able to guide Sri Lanka out of the economic crisis. The government is full of MPs without a conscience. “There are MPs in the government who voted to dismantle independent commissions. The same people voted to re-establish them again a few months ago. They will do anything to hold onto power,” he said.