May 13, Colombo (LNW): Leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), former President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the government to postpone any plans for the privatisation of national assets and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) until after a new government is elected.
In a statement issued yesterday, Rajapaksa expressed concerns over the government’s intentions to privatise certain national assets and SOEs, citing unrest among trade unions, political groups, and citizens.
Rajapaksa highlighted that the current government is an interim arrangement, tasked with managing the country during the remainder of the ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term.
He argued that selling state-owned assets during this interim period might not yield the best outcomes for the nation.
In response to Rajapaksa’s statement, former SLPP member MP Charitha Herath noted that the majority of MPs representing the SLPP have supported every decision made by the current administration led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
He emphasised the importance of honesty in political discourse and urged the SLPP to oppose the government’s actions in Parliament.
Opposition MP Harsha de Silva also weighed in on Rajapaksa’s statement, suggesting that by opposing SOE reform, Rajapaksa had undermined President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s position.
He questioned the next steps for Wickremesinghe in light of Rajapaksa’s stance.
