Different law of MPs? Sajith Questions the House

COLOMBO (News 1st); Heated exchanges were reported in Parliament today (10) over how the law was being enforced.

Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said when the matter of parliamentary privileges was being discussed in Parliament on Tuesday (9) the country was misled when it was said that the Public Property Act does not apply to events that take place within Parliament.

He questioned whether the house of the Public Property Act is, not applicable for the events that take place in the house of the legislature, and requested the Speaker for an explanation if the Public Property Act and the Penal Code do not apply to those in Parliament.

The Opposition Leader said that the comments by the Cabinet Spokesperson noting that the Public Property Act is not applicable in Parliament sends a very wrong message to the people of Sri Lanka, as it can be termed as One Law for the MPs and a Separate Law for the people.

SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman said that when Parliament property was damaged several years ago, the then speaker Karu Jayasuriya appointed a committee to probe the matter and it found five MPs accountable, and the CID too was prepared to take legal action against them.

The MP said when cases were to be filed, it was foiled via political intervention. He said such events only increase the anger of the public against the MPs.