National Executive Committee Member of the National People’s Power (NPP) and its Anuradhapura District Team Leader Wasantha Samarasinghe who secured the highest number of 251, 639 preferential votes at the November 14 general election in an interview with the Sunday Observer outlined the NPP’s landslide victory and its way forward. He said for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, a single political party has secured the highest number of 159 parliamentary seats from all districts to form a two-thirds majority Government in Parliament. Samarasinghe said it is a clear testimony that the election result has changed the country’s political landscape and this is the first time such a political transformation has taken place in the country.
Excerpts of the interview
Q: How do you view the landslide victory achieved by the NPP at the November 14 general election?
A: The people have given a resounding mandate of over 6.8 million votes to the NPP electing 159 MPs to Parliament. This is the first time in the country’s political history that a single political party has secured a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Another significant feature is that of the 22, districts, the NPP has consolidated victory in 21 districts. Before the election, we called upon the people to come with mammoties to conduct the Sharamadana to clean Parliament on November 14 but they came with backhoes to do that. The sole intention of the people was to change that corrupt political culture which existed over the past so many decades.
We will create the most vibrant Parliament. For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, a single political party has secured the highest number of parliamentary seats from all the districts to form a stable Government in Parliament. In addition, all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim candidates have contested together under the NPP banner paving the way to achieve an overwhelming majority in Parliament. This kind of political transformation had never taken place in the country. The people have given strong parliamentary power to the NPP to take the country forward.
People from all parts of the country have shown that they want to live as the citizens of one united country. The NPP has realised this strong message given by the people and it will be fully committed to implement its renaissance program in Parliament to create a developed country for the future generation. As the people have fulfilled their responsibility, the Government will also fulfill its responsibility to make those public expectations into a reality.
The new Cabinet of Ministers will be appointed on November 18 and the new Parliament will be convened on November 21. Thereafter, the Government will give its utmost priority to fulfill the pledges given to the people. If the existing laws are inadequate, new laws will be formulated to bring the culprits to book – those who had plundered public funds. We call upon the people to join hands to rebuild the country by putting an end to fraud and corruption.
Q: As a Southern based political party, the NPP gained a very positive response from the people in the Northern and Eastern areas. How do you view this significant political development?
A: The people in the North, the East and the plantation areas have given a strong signal that they cannot be further misled based on racial and ethnic lines. For the first time, the people in Jaffna and so many other areas in the North have reposed their confidence in the President and the NPP. At present, we have rallied round the entire country as one Sri Lankan nation, irrespective of caste, creed or religious differences. Symbolising this, prior to the election, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake toured the North and the East and called upon the people to rally round to rebuild the country.
The President told the people in the North and the East that if they didn’t vote for him at the Presidential election to at least join hands now and extend their support to the Government’s program of rebuilding the country.
The people have responded positively and they are now joining hands with the NPP as they have a firm belief that we will not indulge in fraud and corruption or resort to any wrongdoings. People know that we will discharge our duties conscientiously, upholding the trust that they have placed in us. We believe all these victories were achieved by the NPP due to its sacrifices and commitments made during its longstanding political history.
Q: According to you, what should be the key priorities of the newly elected NPP Government?
A: At present, youth unemployment is at a very high level in Sri Lanka. Similarly, there are many issues in the education sector and the health sector is also confronted with some issues. Therefore, the new Government should focus its attention on these sectors. There is also a severe setback in the production sector and the Government’s intervention is needed to uplift it. We have also laid emphasis on areas such as tourism industry and foreign employment which can provide short-term solutions to earn foreign exchange revenue. We should create a country where the people can live happily without any hindrance.
Q: The general election campaign was conducted in a peaceful manner without any election law violations. Your views?
A: The significance is that this is the first general election conducted under an NPP Government. The people could gain the experience of conducting an election under an NPP Government. That is why state resources or power were not used for the election campaign and no violent incidents were reported as the NPP strictly adhered to the election laws. Former Governments in power misused state power and resources by violating election laws. As the NPP didn’t resort to that same old practice, the election was conducted in a very peaceful manner. People have realised that this is what the country needs most. We have convinced the people that an environment is being created for a better country.
Q: How do you view the new political transformation that took place in the country after the September 21 Presidential election and the November 14 general election where power was shifted from the elite class to the masses?
A: We called upon the people to make their contribution to effect a political transformation in the country. This is the ‘system change’ that we highlighted. Instead of the traditional political parties and the system that existed in the country, we have introduced a new political culture from the very beginning and this is what the country’s people expect. A new political movement has emerged moving away from the traditional political parties and the people have rallied round it. We have already made the political transformation and now we are heading towards the economic transformation. We have laid the foundation to bring the country up to the level of a developed and a rich country.
Q: According to you, what led the vast majority of the people to vote for the NPP at the Presidential and general election?
A: In the recent past, we could see how some former Health Ministers swindled public funds allocated to import drugs for cancer patients. Similarly, we could see how the money was siphoned off by importing substandard fertiliser. We also witnessed the daylight robbery of the Central Bank popularly known as the Central Bank bond scam. We saw how some politicians misused public funds even from medicines and stationery. As a result, the country turned into a bankrupt state without moving forward any further. Therefore, the people wanted a change of the corrupt political system. The NPP was the political movement which could make that change successfully. All segments in the country such as the farmer community, fisheries community, student community, professionals, religious leaders, businessmen, industrialists and entrepreneurs had a keen interest to effect this change. People also had a dire need of a political movement which was free from fraud and corruption. The NPP was the only political movement which had all these characteristic features. The NPP with the political ideology of the JVP is a combination of leftist progressive groups. Therefore, we moved forward on this journey with the NPP and it paved the way to achieve a landslide victory.
Q: Some Sarvajana Balaya candidates during the general election campaign attempted to portray that the popularity of the NPP Government had declined over the past one and a half months and it had failed to fulfill the public expectations. Your views?
A: We feel sorry for them. Despite their symbols and names they have no public mandate. It was clearly evident at the Presidential election and the general election that the people’s true mandate is with the NPP.
At the Presidential election, they called themselves Sarvajana Balaya, but they have no power at all. They only secured a national list seat at the general election. As the NPP has formed a stable Government, now we are ready to face any constructive criticism made against us. At present, we are getting ready to play the legitimate role of the Government and we have a way forward.
Q: It is evident that a large number of new faces have gained an opportunity to represent Parliament. However, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had said that if an inexperienced Government and a Parliament is formed, it would not be able to develop the country or fulfill the aspirations of the people. Would you comment?
A: Ranil Wickremesinghe and the group who got cold feet due to their humiliating defeat at the last Presidential election later made such cowardly statements. It’s like they got frightened by their nightmares and they made such utterances. When Wickremesinghe gets up early in the morning, he might shudder at the thought of what he would have to face in the future with regard to the Central Bank bond scam and the Easter Sunday investigations. Those unruly elements who broke chairs and microphones in Parliament and threw water at the Speaker’s chair are no longer entertained in Parliament. People have categorically rejected them. Who are the experienced people Ranil Wickremesinghe is talking about? Is he referring to the same old corrupt elements who got involved in the daylight robbery of the Central Bank and swindled billions of public funds via the sugar scam, coconut oil scam, substandard fertilieer scam and substandard drug imports? The team introduced by the NPP is equipped with a good educational background and they have vast experience of performing their duties in various sectors.
Q: Over the past several years, you were vociferous on several large-scale frauds and corruption such as the Central Bank bond scam and sugar scam that took place in the country. Will the new NPP Government take steps to expedite the investigations into these cases?
A: The officers have been appointed to the relevant institutions to commence investigations. That is why some politicians are already scared. The NPP Government will be very strict on these corruption cases. We have categorically said that stern legal action will be taken against those who have swindled public funds.
Q: The current high cost of living has seriously affected the people. What action will be taken by the new NPP Government to address the issue?
A: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has told the country about the maiden Budget to be presented by the NPP Government early next year. The President has said as to how the taxes on goods will be reduced. Similarly, the President has also spoken about increasing the salaries of public servants and reducing the taxes on essential commodities and personal taxes. Therefore, the Government will make the necessary intervention to provide relief measures to the people. We have discussed lifting the VAT imposed on essential food commodities and the health and education sectors. The Government through its maiden Budget will also take steps to provide relief measures to reduce the cost of living burden of the people.
Q: Several illegally assembled luxury vehicles and suspicious vehicles in the possession of some former Ministers were seized over the past couple of weeks. Do you think this is an organised racket conducted over the past couple of years with state patronage?
A: The country had turned into a place of racketeers and corrupt elements. That is why the people voted for the NPP to rescue the country. We are making arrangements to free the country from drug dealers and racketeers and turn it into a rich and disciplined country. We believe some corrupt elements who made a big hue and cry and conducted media shows will have to tell the people what they had really done. In future, information will also be revealed on various other fraudulent deals such as properties and bank accounts of some politicians.
