• SJB-Oppo. Leader Sajith, whose mother Hema stands to lose pension, says ‘of course’

The main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), is set to support the Government’s move to abolish pensions for Parliamentarians and privileges granted to former Presidents and their spouses.

In line with its campaign promises during the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, the National People's Power (NPP)-led Government has taken initial steps to abolish pensions for MPs and privileges granted to former Presidents and their spouses – except for the pension.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether the SJB would support the proposals when presented in the Parliament, SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that they would. “Of course, the SJB will support these moves in the Parliament.”

The Government recently gazetted a draft Bill to repeal the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986. Presented by Justice and National Integration Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara, the Bill seeks to abolish State-funded residences, monthly allowances, official transport, secretarial support, and other facilities provided to former Presidents. 

The repeal will apply retroactively, meaning that benefits already being received by former Presidents will be discontinued once the Act comes into effect. If passed, the only remaining entitlement for former Presidents will be the standard monthly pension of Rs. 97,500. Under the proposed law, widows of former Heads of State will also lose their pensions. Incidentally, Premadasa’s mother, late President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s wife, Hema Premadasa is the only living widow of a former Head of State.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers last week approved the drafting of a Bill to cancel pensions for MPs. However, the Retired MPs’ Collective argued that retroactively withdrawing pensions is unfair and would cause hardship for those who had relied on that income after years of public service. The group has threatened to file a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court and even to take the matter to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.