Support Sajith or minorities could suffer – Hakeem
“We, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), have supported Sajith Premedasa as the Presidential candidate for New Democratic Front and United National Party,” Water Supply, City Planning and Higher Education Minister and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem told a political rally in Kattankudy on Saturday.
“In 1988, former President Ranasinghe Premedasa contested as the Presidential candidate representing the United National Party.After that no one contested the Presidential polls representing the UNP till 2019.
The 19th Amendment prevents Mahinda Rajapaksa to contest in the Presidential polls.The Good Governance Government introduced the 19th Amendment to establish democracy in the country.President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister on October 26,2018 without hearing us,” he said.
“Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed the Prime Minister for 52 days on October 26, 2018. The Government under Mahinda Rajapaksa did various things in Parliament after October 26,2018 for 52 days. The whole world was watching what was happened in Parliament. The SLMC supported ex-President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1988 by rejecting the policies of Prime Minister Srimavo Bandaranaike at the Presidential polls held in 1988. The SLMC has now taken the decision to pledge its support to Sajith Premedasa for ensuring the security of the Muslim Community in this country,” Minister Hakeem said.
“Sri Lanka Muslim Congress founder leader Late.M.H.M.Ashraff did a great thing for all the minorities in this country. The minimum percentage for counting the votes of the parties was 12.5% then. Leader Ashraff reduced it as 5% which enables all the minority political parties to get seats in the elections,” Hakeem said.
Minister Hakeem called on the people of Katankudy to join hands with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to ensure the security of Muslims. “The minority communities could, otherwise have to suffer,” he warned.
(Source: Daily News – By A.B. Abdul Gafoor)
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Mr Premadasa is yet to articulate policy on minority grievances.
Cannot vote for him, blindly.
Reply to Karusha Bombe,
An inclusive society is one where all communities are respected, but collectively embrace values of the host country, and move towards a common goal.
Eg UK cabinet minister Javid
is a Muslim, embraces British values, and works for the welfare of Britain, where the majority are English, as opposed to working only his Muslim community.
Does this happen in Sri Lanka?
For an INCLUSIVE society to function, minority politicians should not be working EXCLUSIVELY for their own communities!
Did you really mean to say here “support Sajith or our Jihadists and your separatist bretheran will suffer” ???
Reply to Simon; I cannot see any reference to the “separatist brigade”, but Minister Hakeem, SLMC leader who attends meetings with Zahran, is urging minorities to vote for UNP for “the security of Muslims”!
As is always the case with politicians of minorities in this country, their only interest is that of their religion or ethnicity!
In any developed country, this would not be tolerated as it hinders progress and development!
This is exactly why this type of politics should be stopped for the benefit of the whole country.
Seats in parliament need to be confined to major parties, which is what happens in progressive countries. Otherwise, we do not move forwards cohesively. Instead, there are different agendas; sometimes conflicting. This is the main problem in Sri Lankan politics. And it affects all of us!
Simon, Kanthaka and ChanakaJ,
What you are preaching does not fit with ‘an inclusive society’.
The voice of the weakest and most insignificant member of society is the most important voice in society.
Listen to AKD; he has the courage to speak the truth.
This is a millennial viewpoint.