• Says President’s arrogance led to his failure and he must heed people’s call and go home
• Regrets all parties playing politics in face of severe suffering by people
• Announces he will forego one year’s MP salary, Parliament food to show solidarity with people
• Urges all MPs to follow suit and act to win respect of public

SJB MP Harin Fernando yesterday made an impassioned plea to all 225 MPs to come together to address the economic  issues faced by the people and restore the respectability of parliamentarians.

He also said that it is clear by now that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is unable to discharge the duties of the office of President and proposed the name of SJB Harsha de Silva to take over as the executive for six months to a year to restore stability and then head for a poll.

 “We need to respond to the demands at this time. I propose the name of Harsha de Silva to be President. He is an economist. He is acceptable to the younger generations. He is a neutral apron, we need someone like him to bring  people on the same track,” Fernando said during a debate in Parliament on the current situation in the country.

He said he had great respect for the SJB leader Sajith Premadasa who has roped the abdication of the executrix’s President . “He is keen to contest the next presidential poll and be elected but till then we cannot leave the upcountry alone and someone has to guide it. I regret  the attitude of all parties here including  the SJB as they are pulling  in all directions while people suffer,” he said.

 The SJB MP said that from the inception of the current President’s election, he had warned that he was on the wrong track and there was a curse on him for the way he manipulated  the election.

“I said here that within one year Sir has failed. We made suggestions in the House so he could put the economy on the right track but he did not listen. Nowhere in the world has a President become so unpopular in a short span of two years,” he said.

Fernando said that today people are labelling all MPs as thieves and say they are doing business and stealing money while their voters suffer. “Today the country is facing an unprecedented crisis and we are still unable to come together. There is the question of who will take over if Gotabaya goes home. There are Constitutional provisions for that and Parliament can elect a new President,” he added.

 He said it is unrealistic to hold elections when people are struggling for their basic needs.

“The first thing we must do is get together. People are telling  the President to go home; he must go home. If we don’t pass the  Surcharge Tax Bill there would be no money to pay the public servant’s salaries. We have a debt repayment coming up in the next few days.  Today the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet are in disarray. Parliament too has become an impotent in the face of such a crisis,” he said.

 

He said that if MPs want to win the respect of the people, they must show solidarity with them. “I have decided to forego my MPs salary for one year as well as not eat in the Parliament canteen,” he said.

The SJB MP said the reason for the President’s failure is his arrogance. “When people vote for us, we become MPs. When  they reject us, we have to go home,” he added.

Parliament slips

President will not resign, despite protests: Johnston