The main parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), stated that they would decide whether to accept the double cabs or not as the Government proceeds with its plan to import vehicles for Parliamentarians.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, SJB General Secretary and MP Ranjith Maddumabandara said that the party had not yet reached a decision on the offer. “We have not made a decision. It is the Government that has to decide whether to go ahead with the import. As they move forward, we will decide whether to accept the cabs or not.”

His comments came after President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced in his budget speech that every MP would be given a fully insured pickup truck, to be returned at the end of their term. This announcement was made three days after the Finance Ministry closed its tender to import 1,775 diesel-powered double cabs, a multibillion-rupee procurement that closed on 4 November, seven working days after it was advertised.

In his budget speech, the President claimed the Government’s current fleet of vehicles and machinery was outdated, with a significant portion said to be obsolete and generating high repair costs. He said this had hindered development work and the Government therefore planned to purchase new vehicles and machinery for state institutions, along with imported double cabs assigned to MPs. The allocation for the entire procurement was reported to be Rs. 12.5 billion.

However, the move has drawn criticism from opposition parties, as the National People’s Power led by Dissanayake had repeatedly said, both before and during its presidential and parliamentary election campaigns, that its members would not seek privileges such as vehicles and official residences. When in opposition, the party strongly opposed the provision of vehicles for MPs and ministers.