Some candidates request for support but will remain neutral: CBK

Colombo, September 5 (Daily Mirror)-  Claiming that some Presidential candidates have sought her support, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said today that she has decided to remain neutral at the 2024 Presidential election.

Kumaratunga said several media had reported that she was supporting various candidates at the ongoing Presidential election campaign but that she will not extend her support to any of the candidates at the 2024 Presidential election. 

She said all voters must reflect seriously when deciding to cast their vote and take into consideration not the individual, but the programmes of action presented by each candidate, the manner, procedures and systems they will employ to implement the programmes, as well as the people who will be in charge of their implementation. 

"Priority should be given to the abolition of the Executive Presidency and to policies for the sectors of Education, Health, Agriculture (especially small farmers), Small/Medium Scale Industries and Enterprises, diversification of major Industries and exports, as well as the Plantation Sector, International Trade and Tourism. The voters have an inalienable right to demand an assurance from the candidate of their choice, good and honest governance and the elimination of corruption in government and proper implementation of the promised policies. Most importantly, this would mean the appointment of persons of high integrity, merit and qualifications to the Legislation, the Executive and Judiciary, and to all high posts of government," she said.