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Despite his recent resignation from the state ministerial portfolio, Faizer Musthapha pledge his support to Maithripala Sirisena. The parliamentarian also stated he would contest the coming General Election but refused to say if he would accept another ministerial post.

Q  Tell us why you decided to resign from your post and the circumstances behind it.

I left due to personal and professional reasons. I thought I could serve the public better as a President’s Counsel than being a State Minister.

 

Q   Are you saying that you couldn’t do anything with the Ministerial post you had?

No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is that without being a State Minister for Aviation I can do more for the society by being an MP and as a President’s Counsel, which I am.


 

"I think Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe have a very secular vision for this country. And Chandrika Bandranaike, is a great influence in this government and she is one of the most secular politicians we have ever had in our history."

 

Q   Does that mean in the future you wouldn’t be taking up any Ministerial portfolios?

That’s what you’re saying. I can’t speak for the future. I’m not a soothsayer that can predict but at this moment I’m very content being a member of Parliament. If a position is given I will make a decision then.  
But I can tell you with a sense of responsibility that with either Chandrika Bandranaike, Mahinda Rajapaksa or with President Maithripala Sirisena, I have never asked them for any perks or positions or any ministerial positions. As a policy I have never asked any leader of this country for ministerial positions.  

 

Q   No, is that what you meant you said you could serve better as an MP?

No that is not what I meant. It’s up to you to make any inference you like. You are free to do so.  

 

Q   You did resign because you wanted to concentrate on your career as a lawyer?

No, what I said was that I was vested with the post of State Minister of Aviation. But I felt I could serve the public better by being a member of parliament and as a President’s Counsel.

 

Q   Will you contesting the general election in the future?

Yes I would be.


 

Q   From?

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Colombo District.  

 

Q   Wouldn’t that again take time off your practice, because of which you gave up your portfolio?

I didn’t take this decision so that I could pursue my legal career in full.

 

Q   Tell me how you can serve the public better as a Member of Parliament than as a State Minister?

I have a constituency. I have to look after them.  I mean I’ve given you my answer. I can serve the public better. As a lawyer we have constitutional reforms, which are being brought to table in parliament. There are a lot of issues with regard to good governance. So all these issues taken into totality, my legal skills as a lawyer and me continuing as a member of parliament, I think I will be able to serve his Excellency’s vision of good governance.  

 

Q   So tell me about your experience in this government when compared to that of the Rajapaksa government?  I know it was a very short time.

I believe that with President Maithripala Sirisena, ministers would have a free hand to do the best in their judgment. And I think that he has appointed a good cabinet. Ranil Wickremesinghe is a politician with great vision and the combination with the President and the Prime Minster, I think could take the country forward.

 

Q   You said under this President you had more of a free hand to do as you want. You did say under the last government you didn’t have a free hand with your ministry.

I have held this portfolio for too short a time to comment about this portfolio.

 

Q   Yes, but you are also the first person to have resigned from a portfolio in this government? The reason why you left is not very clear. What kind of message do you think it gives the public?

I have given an answer.  I am a responsible member of parliament of this government. I held a portfolio in this government. Whatever my feelings are, my duty is to protect this government and its vision. This is paramount. In that setting whatever answers I give you would be in the best interest of this government.
I am with the President and the Prime Minister and that my resignation as a minister should not be in any way misconstrued to mean that I am distancing myself from the vision of the President and supporting this government.  

 

Q   If you wanted to concentrate more on your lawyer then wouldn’t you have completely removed yourself from politics?

It is not that I want to completely concentrate on my practice. I told you very clearly that I could serve the general public better by being an MP and as a President’s Counsel.

 

Q   Are you saying you had too many responsibilities under this portfolio that you had to give it up?

I resigned because I could serve the public better by being a Member of Parliament and continue my practice as a President’s Counsel.  

 

Q  Can I know what your responsibilities were as a state minister?

I had a vision and mission as a state minister and I took certain steps. From 1991 they had never called for a tender for the duty free shops in Colombo, Mattala was costing us USD 18 million, I was instrumental in getting that flight stopped. Then there were hangers of the Aviation Authority where payments had not been made for a couple of years I immediately took steps to ensure the money was recovered. I was trying to see what we could do to eradicate corruption in the airport.  

 

Q   Can you tell me a little bit of the duties of the Cabinet Minister of Aviation?

I wouldn’t know because after the appointment of the Cabinet Minister I tendered my resignation.

 

Q   Why?

Due to professional and personal reasons.

 

Q   Did you have a clash of duties?

Arjuna Ranatunga and I, even today are the best of friends. He and I served as Deputy Ministers under Chandrika Bandaranaike. I wish him well. Any day if he needs assistance in his endeavors I am there for him.

 

Q   You tendered in your resignation when he was appointed……………….

It was not because of his appointment that I tendered in my resignation.

 

Q  Was it the duties?

It’s not that.

 

Q   With you tendering in your resignation it looks like you don’t support the government and the new policies.

I categorically deny that. Whatever the people might say, the Prime Minister and President know I am 100 per cent supportive of this.  

 

Q  Some think you resigned to make the government uncomfortable?

I will never do that. I will always be with the government. I am part of the government and do not distance me from that I have resigned but I am very much a part of it.

 

"I believe that with President Maithripala Sirisena, ministers would have a free hand to do the best in their judgment. And I think that he has appointed a good cabinet. Ranil Wickremesinghe is a politician with great vision and the combination with the President and the Prime Minster, I think could take the country forward"

Q   Were you expecting more from the Maithripala government?

People have great expectations in life and you may not always get what you want. But in my case I have never asked for anything. When I left and when a lot of people supported Maithripala they asked for various things for supporting him. No one can say I asked for anything. I just wanted to be a part of the change.  
 

Q   You had no other expectations from them?

People have expectations. Question is whether I stuck a deal when I left the government. I can say with confidence that I did not.

 

Q    Did you have higher ministerial expectations? You were a deputy minister in the previous government.  

I was a deputy minister,  a state minister of tourism before that.  

 

Q   State minister and then deputy minister did you feel like you were taking a step down when you were made state minister?

I mean in life take what you get. But then again I have never run after perks and positions and I have always believed in having a conducive environment to work.

 

Q   Are you saying you didn’t have a conducive environment?

No I’m not saying that. I always require a conducive environment to work but I’m not saying that as the state minister of aviation I did not have one.  

 

Q   Where you satisfied with the ministerial responsibilities that were given to you by this government when compared to the previous government?

I didn’t have the opportunity of experience the ministerial responsibilities. I believe that most of the ministers of this government can do actual work and that subjects have been divided in a manner that can work.
Earlier there were too many ministers. I believe that power has actually been delegated here and that people can function properly.  


 

"It’s their vision that they should be lead by Mahinda Rajapakse, that’s their right. I belong to the SLFP and I have a present leader who is Sirisena

Q   You think power has been delegated properly?

I believe so, I hope so. It is a short period but the way the present government is functioning……….

 

Q   How can you say that? Isn’t it a bit misleading when you say power has been delegated properly?  You were a state minister for aviation and there was a cabinet minister appointed for aviation as well?

I could not test the power I had because it was too short to notice. State Minister is appointed and there’s a cabinet minister appointed to report matters to the cabinet.  That’s the mechanism.

 

Q   So power delegation is different?

Unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to see how this works because I tendered in my resignation for personal and professional reasons.  
The combination of Maithripala and Ranil is good for the country. The 100-Day programme for the country is a milestone in our history, which no other government, even with a six year tenure in office could not have achieved. So this is what the people want. And unfortunately people are misinterpreting my resignation saying I’m upset about things.  
For me it’s not a question of whether I’m hurt or upset. It is a question of taking this country forward with the vision of the President, within the next 100 days. That is paramount to me. Everybody has disappointments in life. We don’t get everything that you ask for, that is all secondary. For me I supported president Sirisena because I wanted to actual change in the country.

 

Q    Can you see that change happening?

Today you see the media freedom. I mean earlier I was scared to talk on the phone, because I thought they were tapped. I was scared to go somewhere because I thought my movements were monitored.  Today state media is like a private station, it is very balanced. Today the independence of the judiciary is great.

 

Q    These were things that people knew when Mahinda Rajapakse was in power. How come you didn’t raise your voice then?

You raise your voice only at an election where you can create an actual change. When you’re a government of 161 to descent you make no purpose. At an election people have the expectation that you can create a change by making a stand. You may ask why I could not have stood my ground? but there was no purpose for me to do so at the time.
I am proud to say that I’m the only Muslim SLFPer who crossed over. And the rumor was that 20 or 30 people will cross but at the end only 6 or 7 crossed over. Am I’m proud to say that I’m part of history and I take pride in that than any ministerial post. I am here for that change.  Sirisena said we would have paid a dear price if we had lost. But I took the bold decision and that’s why I feel sad when others try to misinterpret my resignation as moving away from the government. I will never move away from the Sirisena government.  


 

"Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to see how this works because I tendered in my resignation for personal and professional reasons.  The combination of Maithripala and Ranil is good for the country. The 100-Day programme for the country is a milestone in our history, which no other government, even with a six year tenure in office could not have achieved. So this is what the people want. And unfortunately people are misinterpreting my resignation saying I’m upset about things."

 

Q   There are some in the coalition of the UPFA, who want to bring back MR as a prime ministerial candidate. What do you have to say about that?

It’s their political right. It’s their vision that they should be lead by Mahinda Rajapakse, that’s their right. I belong to the SLFP and I have a present leader who is Sirisena. Whatever decision taken by the party leadership, I will go with it. When I left I left with respect to MR. I respect him for winning the war. I can’t batter a person I was with for nine years.
But there are certain issues which concern me and I have raised those issues.  One was the BBS and I told them I would leave if the government supported the BBS. I’m not a racist but my community matters to me. I am a minority in this country and if I don’t stand up for my community in a crisis then there is no point in me being in parliament. I’m not afraid to do so.  I want to be secular but I also believe one has to stand up for the rights of the community, especially when you are a minority.  

 

Q   Do you think government has made a difference when it comes to minorities and their rights when compared to the last? Do you think they would have to go through what they did with the last government?  

I think Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe have a very secular vision for this country. And Chandrika Bandranaike, is a great influence in this government and she is one of the most secular politicians we have ever had in our history. Even though she doesn’t have a portfolio her influence would help this government have a secular vision and mission.