Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahuman participated in a media briefing held today (04) at the main office of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Addressing the media, he stated:
“The Provincial Commissioner of Local Government has issued a gazette notification announcing the dates and times to appoint mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, and deputy chairpersons for several Municipal and Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Western Province where a majority was not achieved. Accordingly, all elected members of the Colombo Municipal Council have been invited on the 16th to elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor by vote.
The President and the government have stated their intention to take control of all local government institutions. If they cannot secure power in these bodies, they have indicated their intent to amend the constitution or introduce new laws to obtain such power. Furthermore, the President has stated that if the government cannot gain control over these bodies, they will dissolve them within a few months. The government has also indicated that allocations will be provided to independent groups and other political parties willing to work with them.
At the same time, the government claims that except for their own group, all others are corrupt, insisting that only the National People’s Power has clean representatives. After the local government election, the government has stated it will hold discussions with independent groups and move forward. The SJB has consistently stated that if no political party or group achieves more than 50% in a local government body, a vote must be held to elect the Mayor or Chairperson. Today, the SJB’s stance has been validated. However, the government attempted to seize control of local bodies without holding such a vote.
The government lacks a proper understanding of the procedure for appointing Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairpersons, and Deputy Chairpersons for local bodies where there is no majority—or else, it has misled the public with false statements. It has attempted to undermine the elected members with misleading propaganda.
The SJB is working to establish leadership at the Colombo Municipal Council, engaging in discussions with both parties and independent groups. These discussions are progressing positively, and the SJB is confident that its candidate can be appointed as Mayor. However, the government is attempting to thwart this through various conspiracies, and delays in holding the vote to elect the council’s leadership have raised further concerns.
Riza Zarook has been proposed by the SJB for the position of Mayor, and the United National Party will propose the Deputy Mayor. The council’s leadership will be elected from among its members, not through media campaigns, but by consensus among parties and groups.
It was also stated that a complaint against the SJB’s mayoral candidate was submitted to the Bribery Commission without a proper address or identity for the complainant, and that the Auditor General’s report cited by the complainant does not mention the candidate. This appears to be a premeditated attack against the SJB or an action driven by personal motives. Under the Bribery Act, legal action can be taken against anyone who files false complaints.
It was further revealed that the complainant is an individual well-known to the people of Colombo, who was denied nomination by the SJB for the 2023 local government elections for several reasons. Out of spite, this individual continues to level various allegations against the party and its MPs. In response, legal action has been filed in the district court in 2024, and the complainant has been ordered to pay Rs. 500 million in damages for false accusations. As the individual has also acted in contempt of court, further legal action will be pursued.
The SJB has always stood for media freedom and insists that media institutions and social media operators must respect media ethics. It is problematic for media to publish allegations made by individuals without even a listed address. If social media operators do not act according to media ethics, the SJB is prepared to take legal action, and calls on social media managers not to share unverified information.
Among the opposition members of the Colombo Municipal Council, Riza Zarook is the most suitable individual due to his experience and political understanding. The Mayor will be appointed by the majority consensus of council members. If that majority supports the SJB, their candidate will be appointed; otherwise, the government’s candidate will assume the position. There is no such thing as a government or opposition council in local bodies.
Regarding SriLankan Airlines, it was noted that an aircraft was acquired today on a leasing arrangement. SriLankan is a loss-making institution, and the suggestion has always been that it should be run jointly with the private sector—a view accepted by the present government. However, instead of privatization, large amounts of public funds are being spent to maintain the airline, funds that should be directed to public needs. The government has showcased the new aircraft to the public, as if trying to distract from real issues, but the economic crisis cannot be solved by such stunts. The government is spending the public’s tax money on ventures like this, while ordinary people—who have never even seen an aircraft—bear the cost.
