Sri Lanka’s Good Governance Champion, President Maithripala Sirisena is embroiled in an alleged bribery scandal amounting to millions of dollars involving an Australian Company at the time he was a cabinet minister.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Federal Police is currently carrying out investigations involving the iconic Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) where it is reported that the company’s overseas staff allegedly bribed officials to secure a US $ 2.3 million aid funded sewerage project in Sri Lanka in 2011.
Sirisena
“Company emails also reveal Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and his adviser allegedly demanded political ‘donation’ to be paid by SMEC when Mr. Sirisena was a cabinet minister.” the Newspaper said.
Based on the investigations, the emails show a plot to skim the money off a World Bank-funded dam project in 2009. According to the Newspaper, if the company had made the ‘donation’ Sirisena was to approve the awarding of the dam contract to SMEC, which was worth US $ 1.8 million.
SMEC’s Sri Lankan manager, who was recently sacked, wrote in emails to two Australian colleagues that he wanted to “inform the minister/coordinating secretary” of the size of an alleged kickback to be paid and that he needed to “prioritise” certain payments to unnamed parties “since the signing of the contract would depend” on it, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
anonymous / August 24, 2016
Very interesting but not surprised at all. He has been working with and for the ‘Rajayakha’ clan for almost 35 years.
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Tani / August 24, 2016
Annonymous –
Before you make damaging comments on the Pres here, please check the link below and know the facts.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/australian-companies-linked-to-bribe-scandals-in-sri-lanka-and-congo-20160823-gqyzlp.html
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anonymous / August 25, 2016
Thanks for the link Tani. That was the first thing I did before anything else (before posting the comment) . I am not stupid to click on any link, no matter who it is from.
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Shan / August 25, 2016
From SMH:
“SMEC has confirmed a “request for a political donation”, but insists an internal investigation found no donation was made and the firm “continues to fully cooperate with the AFP.””
Please note, “request for a political donation”.
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Analyst / August 25, 2016
All these secret files are the threats FOR EXISTENCE , All the crooks are protecting each other .
Remember the night of so called COUP according to RW when he entered the Ex President’s house. The COUP was being plotted to discredit the election results and imprison RW AND MS.
BUT. BUT due to the interference of US VP happened to be in the vicinity ( In Chennai) ordered EX Prez to go quietly.
So the story goes.!!
Gallant RW screamed Oh it was a Coup.
The night went by the secret files were opened and closed effectively.
FCID OPENED CASES AND CLOSED CASES AGAINST ALL THOSE THEIVES AND MURDERERERS.
THE CIRCUS GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
POOR OLD SRILANKAN MODAYAS WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT TO HEAR THE NEWS OF PROSECUTION AND CHARGES AGAINST THESE CULPRITS!
But when???
Useless third world country with full of INBRED CROOKS AND MURDERERS .
THERES NOTHING TO COOOOO ABOUT.
DISGUSTING LOT.
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Antany Peter / August 25, 2016
It had happened in 2011; why it took so long to reveal the truth? Perhaps Australia was too scared for boat full of refugees. Now Australia is revealing the truth, because the current government is leaning towards China. Most likely the decision was made by Five Eyes, Australia has no choice but revel the truth to satisfy the US and the UK.
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max / August 25, 2016
anonymous, instead of trying to cover up with such a lame excuse, why dont you come up with a new concept like “Rajapakshes have bought an Ausie company to black the “whiteness” of pure Sirisena?”
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Dan Fernando / August 25, 2016
Ranil will clear it very soon you buggers that only hang on criminals and their actitivites. No sooner, the nation and international communities should see Rajapakshes will be sent to Hague. The day Rajakashes should be brought before international courts is nearing.
You guys will have to face it too, to have supported higher criminals of the kind Gadafi sort, to have made the innocient poor folks so brain washed.
Most living in rural areas know nothing about the numbers, they just vague their tails as if domestic dogs woudl do, whatever biased, untruths being explained to them. They believed there will be a Billa::: they believe western invasions…. they believe in all other tactful stories being added to press by Rajakashes media units. Even they believe illiterates appointed by Rajakashes could do the job on international podiums.
By today, billas myths have been dead
International communities are repsecting.
But Buruwanse theories make every efforts to swallow the innocient masses in the country.
This is why I believe democracy is a joke for countries such as ours. Bunch of thugs fo rtheir political surivival make everything they can to manipulate the masses INlcuding Maxes, Sumansekaras, Sachs and and and…
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We The Willing Led By The Unknowing / August 24, 2016
Sri Lanka/President (2011)
2011 sri lanka President
Mahinda Rajapaksa
———————–
His master’s Voice prevailed over everyone and everything, including God and devil.
Authoritarianism is the only form of cult where the God and The Devil is forced upon the masses to be accepted as synonymous.
Everyone did not do what they wanted , but did exactly what they were told to do, remember ?
—————————————————————————-
President Sirisena is not Guilty , he did what he was told and when he could not continue to betray his conscience, he stepped out do or die.
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Sudath / August 24, 2016
i feel sorry for your knowledge about politics. MS back stabbed MR because he didn’t get the Prime Minister post. Until November 2015 he was enjoying all the ‘Political donations” and would have continued to do so if he was offered the prime ministership
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Nish / August 24, 2016
Here is the IQ level of our voters. Why do we even have an electoral democratic system with chimpanzees like this?
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Freddie / August 24, 2016
Nice try but it sounds to retarded. Why don’t you take a break and let the professional spin masters handle this?
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Don Juan / August 24, 2016
Some stooges paid by CIA and NGOS to find excuses for the unpatriotic yahapalan members.
Now it is apparent that the president is cought qwith pants down while
Ranil has used everyillegal means to suppress the investigation in to the reat bank robbery.
Truth is gradually evolving, and CIA and NGO lackeys will soon run out of words.
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sr / August 24, 2016
If the story is true he’s guilty even if he’s told to do.
All the politicians are believed/expected to be brave enough to resist illegal requests.
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John / August 25, 2016
…when did you last see a pig fly?!
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Soma / August 24, 2016
Only Ranil is Mr. Clean. Not surprised at all…
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jim softy / August 24, 2016
Ranil’s cleanliness would come out if he allowed COPE to investigate the Central Bank scandal. Ranil introduced his moles to the COPE investigation and gave super luxury car paermit to each of them. So, there should be another investigation when the next govt come to find out how the Central bank bond scandlae found money with Ranil’s knowledge.
Now, MY3 should take this opportunity to make the political donations to each politician transparent by reporting it to SL – Elections Commission and to SL – Revenue Service.
This is how they steal. They give contracts to friends without tenders and they give political donations. Left overs are used for their personal wealth. That is only the tip of the iceburg.
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max / August 25, 2016
Ranil??? lol. One Central Bank is enough for generations Soma.
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Sinchuappu / August 25, 2016
Change your fodder brand – that can help you further.
No other means can take you the ilk back. As a metastasized cancer patient would find no cure, you guys will only fall rotten in the days to come. This will be certain as the sun rises almost every day.
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bo / August 24, 2016
OK, if this allegation is true, then it is time for Sirisena to name the names: who instructed him to collect illegal cash for a political slush fund? What is this slush fund? Who owns/ed and operates/ed the fund? Where did the money go to as final destination? Where are the accounts?
Time for MS to come clean and stop becoming another fall guy for the thuggish family. He may be correct in asserting that this is the last time he became the President, as if he knew that some skeletons might jump out from the cupboard.
Time for MS to divulge the workings of the entire system of political slush fund and international bribes collection and dissipation service operated by the previous regime. Clearly he had a good birds-eye view of the system, so it is high time to divulge all that information for the benefit of law enforcement agencies and more importantly to the public. Is he worried about the file that MR is holding on to?
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anonymous / August 24, 2016
“OK, if this allegation is true, then it is time for Sirisena to name the names:”
If the allegation is true, he has to leave and pay the penalty for it….period.
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SsS / August 24, 2016
yeah he is worried about the file MR didn’t release even after he switched sides and became the common candidate. The level of stupidity of these gamarala supporters are beyond me.
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Mohamed Naushad / August 24, 2016
A can of worms? Lets wait and see.too premature to comment further.
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"Don't Stoop to Be a King" (John M. Drescher) / August 24, 2016
bo , exactly …
————————
The President has wasted a lot of valuable time , he needs to put every single agenda on hold ,and grasp the loyal hands within the entire coalition ,and go in for a full scale reform of the constitution and become the executive PM ,make Ranil the Deputy PM and run the affairs and fix the nation .
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Funlover / August 24, 2016
The so-called BRIBE is NOT an accomplished fact.
What the hell is the anonymous writer of Colombo Telegraph writing about? The minimum one can say about the Article is “mischievous”
CT – you are fucking up your priorities, and losing your way. Giddyup.
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maalumiris / August 24, 2016
To be sure, it is not accomplished fact (yet)
Even if it was, I am sure things can be ironed out to everyone’s mutual benefit !! After all, we must help these Yahapalanaya fellows hide these things otherwise we look stupid for having supported them..
But do read the Sydney Morning Herald’s article. This is not something dreamed up by an errant CT Journalist
Giddyup
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thondamannay / August 24, 2016
No Mr. Cleans.
Ranil soiled his clothes during the first Bond scam.
As for the President, Lord Venketesh has turned tables on him.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO TO TIRUPATHI TO WORSHIP WITH BAD BLOOD IN YOUR SYSTEM……….
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lellamay malu mudalali. / August 24, 2016
well well well how many murmured water pots he has to bath in order to be clean out of this garbage I feel it needs more than seven.though he visited thirupathi kovil recently that god turned its back to him it seems. well well well MR never got allegation from outside sri lanka. only the allegations leveled against him by his former colleagues like mangala,champika so on out of jealousy or whatever but this is from Australian company . I think people who insulted and defamed MR might have lots to write on this news.
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Ba ba / August 24, 2016
Smells fishy , has the media been bought over by the pakshayas? They have the country’s entire treasury after all,
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woW / August 25, 2016
hanging on to straws now don’t you think? cmon..
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Hari / August 24, 2016
I’m pretty sure not one cent of it reached the party coffers. I also doubt he collected on behalf of MR. He jolly well knew what he was doing and is a complete fraud for having come to power on the ‘yahapalanya’ slogan.
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Shobana / August 24, 2016
Prez in a soup.
Keep stirring & the pot boiling hot & what ever creature doesn’t get cooked will give us the correct story.
Well done Prseident Sirisena, wonder what the Sirasa news channel will feature tonight & what that toad
Mr Chandra Jayaratna will have to say.
Interesting days ahead.
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words / August 24, 2016
So.. in the words of the yaha followers commenting here.. Sira did this under instructions from MR.. lol. Just proved one more thing.. puppet then… puppet now..But never mind about all that.. it’s now time to drag Sira too to the FCID. .yahapalanaya is all about justice and fair play isn’t it???
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Mage baba , suku baba / August 24, 2016
Sri Lanka/President (2011) 2011 sri lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa
seven dislikes , of-cause , truth , truth , no one likes it
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Nimal / August 24, 2016
I am sure MS had to prevail under MaRa regime and succumbed to MaRa’s irresistible pressure. And this must be a classic case to show the environment in which almost everyone under his regime had to work no matter what in order to collect huge commissions from every project. It is now MS’s turn to clear his name if he is genuinely clean.
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Ruwan Semasinghe / August 25, 2016
Nimal. says ‘Sirisena sucumbed to pressure from MR.
May be Nimal has insider knowledge of theworking of the thhen government.
In that case Nimal can persuade Sirisena to make a statement.
[Edited out]
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jim softy / August 24, 2016
Story should be the same for many former politicians who are now retired. This is why politics is very popular among uneducated and cunning wanna be social workers.
MY3 should take this opportunity to correct it. Politicians should have a way of getting political donations. Politicians need political donations. It should be streamlined by bringing laws and having checkes and balances.
Now, Presstitutes writing to promote Mahinda Rajapakse will use this for their leader’s advantage. That should not happen.
Every politican is a thief. It is now peaked. That is why they hire their families, multiple car permits and it should be corrected now.
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Sanchay / August 24, 2016
I smell something fishy here!
President Maithripala Sirisena is embroiled in an alleged bribery scandal amounting to millions of dollars involving an Australian Company…..
And the volume of the project is according to the news”..Sirisena was to approve the awarding of the dam contract to SMEC, which was worth US $ 1.8 million…” Who in hell would pay million US $ to get a project worth of 1.8 mill. US $)?
However Mr. Sirisena could not afford this alligation sitting on him. For the president of the country he must regain the trust of the citizens, otherwise there is no difference between the former regime and the present government.
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woW / August 25, 2016
its actually 27,000$. not a million
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Antany Peter / August 24, 2016
Australia is revealing this now because the current government is leaning towards China.
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Shiiraan / August 24, 2016
All this is humbug.
We all know how it was during the last regime.
Don’t try to tarnish the President.
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Non PhD / August 24, 2016
Umpires Emersion & Hair called no ball against Muralitharan.
Arjuna Ranatunge stood by Murali and showed the world what are fair cricket and smart captaincy all about.
Now Sydney Morning Herald has no balled MS. I’m sure many lion hearted will come forward to defend MS with facts and rationality.
Why SMH is picking on Ms ? Is it another attempt to bring back Mahinda ?
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Rajash / August 24, 2016
The same Murali decided join the Australian dressing room in the current test series against Sri Lanka.
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lal / August 25, 2016
There are Aussies and English coaches who helped Sri Lanka. Murali has the right to help any team to improve their game. Murali will do the right thing for Cricket and Sri Lanka, he is Sri Lanka’s idol. Yes, there are diaspora losers who regard Murali as a traitor for their Terrorist cause but, he is in fact a True Patriot and a Legend.
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Rajash / August 25, 2016
I agree that professional cricketers have all the right to earn their living specially after retirement and I respect that independence
but the trophy is named “Murali Warne Trophy.”
I doubt Shane Warne will turn up in the Sri Lanka dressing room
or for that matter Sunil Gavaskar will turn up in the Austrlian dressing room and Border in the Indian dressing room during the Border Gavaskar series
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Mewan / August 24, 2016
All these politicos are corrupt. That we already know. But the manner in which he tries to be a saint while helping his brother create a mini cartel in polonnaruwa was very pathetic to me. and now this scandal on top of that? He should be forced to resign immediately.
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Saji / August 24, 2016
This will make him bend doubly backwards to the western countries from now on. Not good for the country at all.
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Big Balls Syndrome / August 24, 2016
1)Blessed are all those who have given up their ghosts & are no more on this land.
2)Saved are all those who have given up their nationalities and are no more on this land .
3)Cursed to to live without hope are all those who are here with no where else to go to from this land .
4)Hopeful are all the young men and women with education and master of the English language ,who can still leave this land.
All who can still go ,please go and leave it to the Karma of those who can not leave and who are destined a life where you neither live or die ,in a land once known as paradise , turned to living hell ten years to-date.
seems nothing is going to change , imagine there are 40 % voters who prefer to live in hell , rather than share equally with all races & live in paradise.
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gamage / August 24, 2016
In fact the news item clearly says no bribery has been paid. So, Mr Sirisena survives this yoker.
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Ranil / August 25, 2016
Yes, it may not have been paid but he has requested the money. So how clean is he?
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S.Fernando / August 24, 2016
We all know the Australian government was a supporter (infact the only civilized country) of the MARA murderous government. The timing of this investigation is really suspicious.
Ranil should immediately reach out to the Australian government through washington influence.
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Shan / August 25, 2016
Here comes crazies….
Australian government decided to help MR by launching an investigation on a bribery attempt by former minister, current President of Sri Lanka. Funny thing is that you would find suckers for these crazy stories.
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Rajash / August 24, 2016
…. company’s overseas staff allegedly bribed officials to secure a US $ 2.3 million aid funded… sewerage project in Sri Lanka in 2011.”
it seems the project is not a success either
…Stinking with bribery
&
…..sewage politicians are still around….
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KA Sumanasekera / August 25, 2016
Most probably it was only a Santhosam to Hindu Sira, when he was a big ass Minister, protecting the SLFP Yahapalana Faction under guidance of Whiskey Madam..
Who planted this ?.
Is there a UNP Sydney?
Or is it directly from London via the Diaspora.
Poor Aussies, they don’t know the difference between Santhosams & Bribes.
My Elders tell me Hindu Sira investigated Dr Mervyn a couple of times for even more serious wrong doings. But never took any action.
And even the drover’s dog knows how Dr Mervyn used to collect them.
Please have mercy on Sira,
He has been turning a blind eye to Robber Barons who are working hard with Batalanada Ranil to give us Yahapalanaya .
Plus Federal Eelaam as well,
OMP is already in place . UNP IGP will soon have to allocate resources to find the War Criminals among the Armed Forces.
Boda Sira has even become a Hindu , What more can he do .
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Lanka Watch / August 25, 2016
The President should double up and clear his name, using the prime time
in the TVs, if he is misquoted in the media reports. Whatever media
Writes is not always correct.
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Nelum / August 25, 2016
The emperor (like the last one) has no clothes.
One crook after another.
Sri Lankans, we are doomed to have corrupt, lying leaders, whose intentions are to first make sure his family and he are well looked after, next comes his catchers and those who kiss up to them, last if they are lucky, the Sri Lankan people. Beware of politicians who pretend they only want a short term and who acts like he is only concerned for the country. Aren’t there any honest Sri Lankans out there, who will make sure the country comes first?
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Thimal J / August 25, 2016
Had Sirisena solicited a bribe or not he must now speak. He has not ultimately received any fund. But has the Australian company succeeded in securing the contract? The amount in question is some 2.5 million Rupees and the amount is suspiciously low for a high profile minister. For instance, it is said that Higher education minister of the time played with some two million USD for the SAITM approval. I think MS must come out and say something.
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