President’s fund : Former MP denies getting money, demands correction
Former MP Manoj Sirisena says he made a verbal and written clarification from the President’s Fund yesterday, about the recent statement made in Parliament by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa mentioning his name related to the misuse of funds from the President’s Fund.
Issuing a statement, the former MP said that on March 9, 2009, while participating in an event held in Akuressa he was seriously injured in a suicide bomb.
He revealed that on 21st March, he was treated at the Colombo National Hospital and underwent eye, ear and abdominal surgery, while he had also suffered an eardrum eruption.
Former MP Manoj Sirisena further revealed that he had spent Rs 4.5 million from his personal wealth for local and foreign treatments.
He went on to note that Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa had informed the Parliament that the President’s Fund had allocated Rs. 300,000 for the former MP in 2011 taking into consideration the incident.
However, Manoj Sirisena claimed that Minister Nalinda Jayatissa had made the claim without verifying whether he had taken the money.
Stating that misusing national wealth is a serious offence and fraud, Manoj Sirisena said a minister must be careful about the statements made under parliamentary privilege.
The former MP pointed out that he had only after the recent Parliament revelation learned that he had been allocated the money, but had not received it.
He further said that under such circumstances, his name must be removed from the list of persons who are said to have received funds from the President’s Fund, as claimed by Minister Jayatissa.
Manoj Sirisena also requested Minister Nalinda Jayatissa to correct his statement and rectify the damage caused due to his action.
2024-12-19