AJITH SIRIWARDANA 
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SJB decides not to support government anymore: Kiriella
By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera
Colombo, Feb. 07 (Daily Mirror)- The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will not support the government despite the President's appeals, as the government has acted arbitrarily during the recent past, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said today.
He told a news conference at the Parliament Complex that the President keeps appealing to the Opposition to join hands with the government whereas the government has shown no concerns for the opposition.
MP Kiriella said the government attacked the peaceful protest organised by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and that it was attempting to obtain SJB support by force.
"We continued to support the government. We supported it to pass several Acts such as the 21st Amendment. However, the government has acted arbitrarily during the recent past," he said.
Kiriella added that the government had also passed the Online Safety Bill without adhering to the Supreme Court recommendations where 11 of the SC recommendations had not been adhered to when enacting the Bill.
He said the decentralized budget allocation for MPs had not been given to Opposition MPs this time so as to corner them.
He said it was not a sudden decision for the SJB MPs to walk out of the House at the time of the President's policy statement and that it was a well-planned decision.
Responding to a question whether the SJB would take action against several MPs who remained in the House despite the party decision, Kiriella said no action will be taken against them as they had a right to do so.
"We are a democratic party. They can take their own decision," he said.
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