UNP second-tier MPs and backbenchers have railed against Malik Samarawickrama, a close ally of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, for backtracking on his promise of not accepting a position in the new Cabinet.
Malik Samarawickrama
Samarawickrama announced at the group meeting of the United National Front earlier this week that he would not take up a position in the new Cabinet. Thilak Marapana and D.M. Swaminathan, two other national list MPs of the UNP, also expressed similar views.
Samarawickrama’s remarks earned the appreciation of many UNP backbenchers and relatively young members in the group. Colombo Telegraph learns that after the group meeting, UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra walked up to Samarawickrama and kissed him on the cheek in appreciation of making a “grand sacrifice” for the party.
Their declarations of voluntary exclusion also gave rise to hopes that relatively young members of the ruling camp who played critical roles during the political turmoil would be given Cabinet positions.
Many UNP cabinet members were surprised to see Samarawickrama and Marapana at the Presidential Secretariat this morning. They were particularly shocked about Samarawickrama as he has not played an active role in the UNP camp since the outbreak of the political crisis on October 26.
Samarawickrama, however, managed to include his name in the final list at the last moment and retained his previous ministry. In addition to his previous position as the Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Samarawickrema also received an additional position as the Minister of Science and Technology.
“His remark at the parliamentary committee might have been a trick to preempt any outcry against his appointment. Many UNPers were unhappy about Wickremesinghe’s close associates holding sway over affairs of the government. There were also views that national list MPs, such as Samarawickrama, should not hold Cabinet positions. His earlier remarks diffused such sentiments and it allowed the Prime Minister to “smuggle” their names into the list at the last moment,” a source familiar with the matter said.
Plato. / December 21, 2018
The more things change,it remains the same!
Whom to tell child?
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Prince Diyasna / December 21, 2018
Malik is a member of the butterfly squad (how can he be otherwise, with his looks) and will be a minister in Any Puk Hamu outfit.
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So stop complaining and accept the fruits of democracy Nalin Perera has gifted our country for the coming X’mas with!
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Dilmah / December 21, 2018
The elephant in the room that explains the return of the same crooks who looted Lanka headed by Washington’s puppet, Bondscam Ranil as Cabinet members is Trumpland and its Cold War against China in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean.
Ranil Wickramasinghe is Trumpland’s puppet and his crooks, Malik, Ravi, Avant Guard Marapona, are back to continue the same neo con, neo liberal economic and US security project to beggar and asset strip Lanka and take it over as a strategic asset in Trump’s Cold War against China in the India Ocean. Ranil’s economic policy is written by MCC and IMF and they also play ethnic and religious identity politics to divide, distract and push the Global 1 percent agenda. Hence, TNA’s embrace of Bondscam Ranil..
US Pacific Marines are now running a temporary Logistics hub in Trinco and drones collective land data.
Who let the Dogs in? Please read John Pilger, the respected British journalist on the Coming war on China in the Frontline Magazine this month.
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Dodo / December 21, 2018
Ranil was brought back to power by US funded “civil society groups” and social media and Peace Corps bots also on Facebook. Colombo Civil society were and are in denial that Bond Ranil is as unfit as his partner in crime, Mahinda Jarapassa, who he had protected these past years. Both RW and MR must share the same prison cell for financial and hate crimes against the people of this long suffering county of corrupt politicians who have turned Parliament into a Cesspit of Corruption. Sira is a fool, but Ranil is very dangerous to the health of the nation.
The JVP trying to abolish the Executive which is the only check and balance against Bondscam Ranil’s thieves who control the horsetrading circus at the Parliament and their looting of the people is another lost cause. Seems AKD was also bought by Trumpland $$$ just like civil society.. Sad days
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B. Fernando / December 21, 2018
These Royal bum bandits will always be around as long as RW is there! Not one single person in this club has contributed in anyway either to the party or country, other than looting! The young party members face the dirty streets while the bandits live luxuriously in their mansions & after winning, RW gvs the plum jobs to the bandits!! The young bucks will never rise till RW is there!
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justice / December 21, 2018
In this day and age, Science and Technology is/are the most important in any nation.
What qualifications does Malik Samarawickrema have to be minister in charge of this subject?
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justice / December 21, 2018
Malik was a Royalist & Rugby player.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Samarawickrama
He cannot handle Science and Technology – it would be a disaster to allow him to handle this subject.
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Ravi / December 22, 2018
Total deception by Malik, he lies through his teeth and creeps in. Absolutely disgraceful. I am not sure whether this was the education from Royal College. He cons the party and the people of Sri Lanka. RW is part of it by offering him a ministirial post after he has said he would not be available to be considered to be a minister. This is how they con everyone. UNP is like a cancer patient with two years to live till the next election. It is time to go unless they reinvent itself, which is highly unlikely. Total loosers
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Suranga Gunasekera / December 22, 2018
RW is a good example if you want to learn the art of deception. On the positive side he plays it within the framework of constitution.
We should not worry too much about the appointments made. In another year we will have an election.
President claimed the corruption from 2006 to 2016, which is 11 years, only through bond scams now adds up to 1000 billion.
We know the recent bond scam adds up to around 30 billion.
If MS is telling the truth, then the amount wasted in Rajapaksha era is around 970 billion.
Hopefully we will not have another bond issue until the next election.
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Dharshana W / December 23, 2018
Malik S, Mano G, Rishad B et al were making mere jesters ( jokes) when thy announced that they would not accept any cabinet portfolios.
It was a mere joke, and you should take it in the lighter sense.
It was in fact a matter of Ranil W making flattering jokes about the constitutional crisis, as he always does, thus is not a matter of serious concern.
In anther note, re-appointing Ravi K to a portfolio cabinet position, whether it is “power n Energy” or “Finance”, really doesn’t matter.
neither the Balls or the guts to reprimand any of you team that abuses/ abused power.
So be it, and I’d damn well vote for any party opposing Ranil W’s dictatorial, arrogant and self proclaimed exprtise in governing Sri Lanka.
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