Sajith pledges a new constitution

Says Gotabaya promised to have him elected as the President by the Parliament

By Yohan Perera

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa pledged a new constitution without Executive presidency and where there is a system of appointing people to the top posts after stakeholder consultation.   

“We pledge to bring in a new constitution and thereby abolish the Executive presidency. We will bring in a system of appointing people to top posts with a system of stakeholder consultation. We will also expand the rights guaranteed by the constitution. Accordingly, we will guarantee the right for economic freedom, right for sound health facilities and the right to follow a religion of a citizen’s choice through the constitution,” Mr. Premadasa told a Samagi Lawyers Conference over the weekend.   

“We will put a stop to autocracy and dictatorship and ensure independence of the judiciary,” he said.   

“The present President has violated the constitution in order to get one of his henchmen as the IGP. The Speaker has acted as a facilitator for this process. The President has destroyed the tripartite system of governance.” he said.   

Also he said the SJB does not follow a system of giving bribes to get people to crossover and to stop them from leaving the party.” We don’t engage in deals at any point. This is why I refused to accept the premiership when it was offered to me by former President Maithripala Sirisena and by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Gotabaya even promised me that he would have me elected as the President by the members of Parliament. I declined to accept these offers as I am not power hungry, “ he said.