News

Direction Sri Lanka calls on MPs to elect person most suitable and acceptable to people as Prez

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/19

* Unflinching public attention is on each and every MP

Civil society grouping, Direction Sri Lanka, largely comprising professionals, yesterday called on MPs to act with conscience, solely in the national interest at this crucial juncture of our Country, forgetting all political and personal agendas and other interests, to ensure that the person most suitable and acceptable to the people, is elected as the President of the Republic.

In a letter addressed to the MPs, DSL said: Sri Lanka is currently going through the worst economic and political crisis since independence. Every segment of the citizenry is adversely affected. This situation without doubt is due to the misrule, corruption and the total failure of good governance by the popularly elected leaders specially in the last several years. A peaceful and mostly nonviolent uprising by the people, especially the youth, resulted in the resignation of the President, Prime Minister, several other Ministers and Officials considered responsible for this unacceptable state of affairs.

Following the resignation of the President, it is a matter of extreme urgency that a new President is elected and a stable government established to manage the recovery process. The onus and responsibility of filling the vacancy by electing a successor President has been placed on the Members of Parliament, by the Constitution. It is a responsibility that each Member of Parliament is required to perform for and on behalf of all people of this country, as their elected representatives.

In this context, we are greatly perturbed and wish to place on record our disappointment and displeasure concerning the fact that Parliament has been unable to select a person by consensus. From the information in the public domain, it appears that at present, there are no less than four persons who aspire to be elected to this office and that such nominations are being made along party lines.

In our view, the election of a President of the Republic at this critical juncture based on party affiliations for reasons of political expediency or political survival, is totally unacceptable. In the context of the recent events and the peoples’ aspirations, we consider that certain matters are of paramount importance, when electing the President of the Republic. It is imperative that the person to be elected as President of the Republic should be a person;

1. Who will unify and rally the Country rather than be one who will cause further dissension and division.

– The result of the election by itself, should be one which settles widespread protests that presently prevail. The Country and its people cannot afford a state of unending unrest and confusion and it is not one which could or should be quelled by the use of force.

2. Who will not be seen as an extension of the former regime or government, which has been resoundingly rejected by the people.

– The experience of the last few months amply demonstrates that a person or government perceived as such, does not and will not gain the confidence of the people.

3. Who will gain general acceptance and the confidence of the people within the Country as well as internationally.

– In our view, it is only a person who has general acceptance internally, that will be capable of gaining international acceptance.

4. Capable of bringing together all parties in Parliament to form a true National Government, which will work on a common minimum programme of work for the purpose of restoring the basic needs of the people within a short space of time and thereafter, proceed to hold a general election.

– A government formed by arbitrarily and manipulatively picking persons from different parties will not succeed, as amply proven in the last few months. Such a government will only aggravate the current economic and political situation in the Country.

5. Who is committed to the immediate repeal of the 20th Amendment and the restoration of at least the position under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, without any resort to transitional provisions for the preservation of any features of the 20th Amendment for any period of time.

– It should be noted that this is a fundamental demand of the people of this Country and any person who does not accept this principle will not be acceptable to the people. [The issue of continuation or otherwise of the Executive Presidential System or the transformation to a Parliamentary System of government should in due course be presented to the people for consideration.]

We request the Members of Parliament to be mindful that as demonstrated by the recent events, mere constitutional legitimacy of a person elected to the high office of the President of the Republic is insufficient to gain the acceptance and confidence of its people and the person needs moral legitimacy to govern.

We therefore call upon each Member of Parliament to act with conscience, solely in the National Interest at this crucial juncture of our Country, forgetting all political and personal agendas and other interests, to ensure that the person most suitable and acceptable to the people, is elected (preferably by consensus) as the President of the Republic. The unflinching public attention is on each and every Member of Parliament at this critical moment of this Nation.

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]