Former Speaker of Parliament – Joseph Michael Perera, has passed away at the age of 81.

The former Gampaha district MP was born on 15 September 1941, and served as the 17th Speaker of Parliament from December 2001 to February 2004.

He served as an elected member of the Ja Ela Urban Council (UC) from 1964 to 1967, after which he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the UC until 1970.

He then served as the Chairman of the Ja Ela UC from 1970 to 1971.Mr. Perera served as the Chief Organiser of the United National Party (UNP) for five years from 1971 to 1976, and was elected as an MP to the First National State Assembly until 1977.

Prior to being elected as an MP to the First Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1978, Joseph Michael Perera was elected as an MP to the Second National State Assembly from 1977 to 1978.Joseph Micheal Perera remained an MP of the first Parliament for 10 years, from 1978 to 1988