Maithripala promises to appoint commission to look into corruption

Common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena who kicked off his campaign in Kandy today pledged to appoint a special commission to look into corruption by the leaders of the present regime if he is elected.

He said he would bring to book all who are guilty.

“Changing the Constitution alone is not sufficient. It is also necessary to bring to book all who are guilty of robbing the public,” he said.

Mr. Sirisena said he would enable the judiciary to be totally independent. He said he was hurt by the regime’s impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said Mr. Sirisena’s administration would raise public servants’ salaries by Rs 5000 immediately — with another increment of Rs 5000 after anomalies are resolved.

He said the joint opposition would turn all 225 members of Parliament into members of one government.

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka said all MPs of this government except a handful would end up in Mr. Sirisena’s camp by January next year. He said the JHU which was an ally of the present regime had gradually realised that this government was going the wrong way.

Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga, MPs Navin Dissanayake, Kabir Hashim, Sajith Premadasa and Rajitha Senaratne and Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka also addressed the rally. (Yohan Perera and J A L Jayasinghe)

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)