- Claims politicians pickpocketing instead of working to end crisis
- Ex-Minister reportedly demanded bribe from Taisei Corp., BIA Terminal II contractor
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna “independent” MP Wimal Weerawansa alleged that the temporary resignation of ex-Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is a result of a complaint made by an ambassador with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over asking for a bribe from a foreign company in Sri Lanka.
Weerawansa made this statement during a press conference of the Forum of the Independent Parliamentarians that was held on Wednesday (6), bringing up the temporary resignation of Siripala de Silva from the position of Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation from his ministerial portfolio on the same day.
Weerawansa said: “The sole reason behind the resignation of the Minister is that an ambassador from a foreign country had complained to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that a certain minister had asked for a bribe from an international company in Sri Lanka.”
Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa also said in Parliament that a news report circulated on social media had reported that a minister had asked for a bribe from Taisei Corporation, the Japanese contractor of the Terminal II Project at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
The resigned Minister stated that the allegation projects a “wrong impression” to the general public and that he believes his opponents have circulated fake news to tarnish his standing, while requesting the President to conduct an unbiased investigation to protect the reputation of both the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and himself. In order to leave room for an independent investigation, he resigned from his ministerial post.
Meanwhile, Weerawansa further charged that, considering the country’s crippled condition, the actions of the current ministers are similar to “those who gamble while the dead body of their mother is in the living room”, and called their conduct “shameful”. He claimed that instead of efforts to revive the crisis-stricken country, “only pickpocketing is taking place”.
Weerawansa also claimed that the said bribery allegation is merely one incident, while there are other such severe allegations regarding the importation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
During the session of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), Weerawansa charged that the aforesaid matter was inquired about rigorously, and that the truth behind the allegation has been investigated. Weerawansa stressed that thus, the trust of the general public cannot be regained.