By Saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday that if Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena gave his consent then assets of all MPs could be published.
Participating in the second reading stage debate on Budget 2023, Kiriella said that his party demanded that assets of all MPs be declared. “My colleague Eran Wickremaratne too raised this issue in the House during this debate the other day. We demand that all MPs declare their assets. The MPs themselves must do so voluntarily even if the Speaker fails to give the ruling to that effect. Now, many MPs have submitted their assets declarations to the Speaker. The purpose of this submission is not to keep the Speaker informed.
The Speaker could publish these declarations. So far that has not been done.”The Transparency International called on all MPs to send their asset declarations. It is so sorry to say that only 15 out of 225 MPs have done so.”
