In an attempt to cut the perks and privileges enjoyed by former presidents, the Sri Lankan parliament on Wednesday passed a new law to curtail the entitlements of the former presidents or their widows.
With a majority of 151 votes, the ruling National People's Power repealed the President’s Entitlements Act, a 1986 law.
The law, which allowed provision of a residence or a monthly allowance, secretarial allowance, official transport to a former president or the widow of a former President and a monthly pension paid to the widow of a former president, was slashed in the parliament.
The move is looked at as a step by the ruling NPP to keep up its poll promise of eradicating corruption and cutting down the excess state expenditure.
“We are repealing the 1986 Act to save taxpayers’ money,” Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara informed the Parliament on Wednesday.
The new amended law is all set to come into force immediately, which will be applicable to former presidents, including Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithiripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Hema Premadasa, the wife of late Ranasinghe Premadasa.
According to sources, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is set to vacate his official residence on Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo soon.
Earlier during the debate in the parliament, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the government is spending a heavy public cost towards maintenance of the residences of the former presidents, who live in state-owned bungalows. He had said that Mahinda’s residence alone carried a monthly rental value of more than 4.6 million LKR.
Former Presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will also be required to leave their official homes. Gotabaya apparently doesn’t live in his private residence at Mirihana, while Ranil lives in his private home.
The repeal bill will, however, preserve pension benefits while reallocating government properties currently occupied by ex-leaders for official use.
