SJB MPs write to Speaker over partiality concerns

• 39 MPs sign letter in which they allege Speaker acting in partial manner
• Say Opp. requests have been ignored by the Chair

A group of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs have written to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena alleging that he has been acting in a partial manner and ignoring requests made by Opposition Parliamentarians.

“We have noticed many times that you have been deliberately ignoring the Opposition MPs whenever they oppose a motion. MPs of our party are mentally affected by your action of partiality,” the letter signed by 39 SJB lawmakers said.

They said that the Speaker had ignored a request from Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella for a division at the end of the debate on the 20th Amendment.

They also cited the case of the Speaker allowing SLPP MP Premalal Jayasekera who has been convicted of murder to attend Parliament but failing to grant the same right to SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake.

“You have also continuously curtailed the right of the Opposition Leader to raise supplementary questions whenever he raised questions under Standing Order 27(2). We wonder whether these actions of yours will tarnish the image of Parliament. We understand that you are engaged in SLPP politics. The Speaker who is the leader of all 225 MPs in the House is expected to safeguard the dignity of the post,” the letter said.

The MPs said the Opposition backed Abeywardena appointment to the post as they trusted him to be a man of high reputation and respect. 

“We backed you as you were a well-respected member of the UNP in the past. It was SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara who seconded your name as the Speaker. We still hope that you will act towards becoming one of the greatest speakers in Sri Lanka and you will go down in history with such a reputation,” the letter added.