Managala hopes to become President one-day

by Zulfick Farzan 09-07-2020 | 6:10 PM

Colombo (News 1st);

Ex-Minister Mangala Samaraweera says he too has a dream to become the President of Sri Lanka.

Speaking to News 1st's Suranga Senanayake on the Newsline segment on Thursday (09) Samaraweera said just like anyone else, he too wished to be President adding to be the head of state one must also secure the votes.

Noting that he only bid farewell from Parliamentary Politics, Mangala Samaraweera said the country has not advanced in many areas.

"Every leader in this country is elected with a good intention in mind, however, none of them have possessed the strength to counter those who gather around them," said Samaraweera.

Mangala Samaraweera went on to note, the best leader Sri Lanka ever had was Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge as she made great attempts to bring about change, sadly she did not receive the support towards those causes.

Commenting on Former President and present Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Ex-Minister said though Rajapaksa too was elected with good intentions, following the victory achieved by the war heroes, he too wanted more power.

The introduction of the preferential votes system back in the 1980s completely changed the parliamentary system in Sri Lanka, said Samaraweera adding it created conflict among members from the same party.

He said the situation was such, in order to secure preferential votes, candidates were forced to depend on others to cover their expenses.

Mangala Samaraweera said thereby, those with money generated illegally managed to place someone inside parliament to protect them from those enforcing the law.

"The Sri Lankan Parliament is gradually becoming a den for thieves, bookies, drug traffickers, and moonshine bandits," remarked the Ex-Minister, adding "Parliament is becoming the new underworld".

Noting the SLPP will never be able to secure a 2/3 majority in Parliament on its own, Mangala Samaraweera said if they do achieve it, it would be the end of the democracy in Sri Lanka.