• Says moves underway by ‘insurgents’ to intimidate MPs against voting 

By Yohan Perera 

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the security establishments to conduct investigations and institute legal action against undue attempts on social media platforms to intimidate MPs against participation in the secret ballot to elect the next president. 

Asserting that there is a sinister move to inflict fear in the minds of people through a social media campaign, he said the security authorities should involve the Parliamentary Privilege Act and the criminal laws to deal with such elements.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said that the MPs are entities to exercise their rights. He said the legislators had the right to free movement as guaranteed by the Privileges Act, and preventing them from doing it and acting independently within Parliament could be considered as a threat. 

Some MPs have informed Mr. Wickremesinghe that ‘insurgents’ inflict indirect death threats on them through their posts on social media. These MPs have informed the Acting President that their houses were attacked in the recent past. The MPs have said they are not in a position to vote on Wednesday under the prevailing situation.  Therefore, Mr. Wickremesinghe has assured during the cabinet meeting that he had instructed security forces to take action against those who inflict undue influence on MPs.