Parliament approves suspension of MP Ali Sabri Raheem from committees amid misconduct allegations

A resolution proposing the suspension of Muslim National Alliance MP Ali Sabri Raheem from representing Parliamentary Committees was approved in the Parliament yesterday. 

The motion, presented by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, cited concerns over MP Sabri’s continued participation in committees despite recent allegations of illegal misconduct.

Premadasa, in his address to the Parliament, highlighted the problematic situation arising from MP Sabri’s continued representation and emphasised the need for accountability in the conduct of parliamentarians. 

The motion, which gained widespread support, resolved that MP Sabri refrain from representing any Parliamentary Committee until the ongoing investigation by the Parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges of Parliament concludes.

The controversy surrounding MP Sabri emerged from an incident on 23 May, when he was detained at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. Customs officials at the airport impounded a significant haul of undeclared goods from the parliamentarian’s possession, including 3.5 kilograms of gold and 91 mobile phones. The total value of the seized items amounted to Rs. 78.2 million.

In a stark comparison, Premadasa drew attention to the fines imposed in similar cases. MP Sabri was levied a fine of only Rs. 7.5 million, while a foreign national faced a substantially higher fine for a comparable offense. 

The Opposition Leader called for a thorough investigation into the disparities in fines, advocating for a fair and consistent approach to such violations.

Despite the gravity of the allegations, MP Sabri was released after paying the imposed fine. The incident has prompted public discourse on the need for stringent measures to uphold parliamentary integrity and accountability.