Explosive allegations rock Parliament as claims emerge that oversight powers were misused to influence a sensitive coal audit, raising serious questions about transparency, governance, and political interference in Sri Lanka.
A fresh controversy has erupted in Sri Lanka’s political landscape after serious allegations surfaced against the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises regarding interference in a key coal audit report.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahman has claimed that the COPE Chairman visited the Auditor General’s Department and attempted to pressure officials to alter findings related to the coal procurement audit report.
According to Rahman, he had personally visited the department on multiple occasions, where senior officials revealed that they had experienced undue pressure linked to the audit process.
He stressed that such actions, if proven true, amount to a grave abuse of authority, particularly given the role of COPE as a parliamentary oversight body tasked with ensuring accountability and transparency in public finance.
Despite these alleged attempts at influence, Rahman commended the officials of the Auditor General’s Department for maintaining professional integrity and releasing what he described as a factual and accurate report on the controversial coal issue.
He also expressed appreciation to the heads of the relevant institutions, noting that their commitment to ethical standards helped preserve public trust during a period of intense scrutiny.
Rahman further alleged that the situation sheds light on why certain elements within the government were keen on appointing a preferred candidate to the position of Auditor General.
He added that he plans to formally request the Speaker to initiate an independent investigation into the matter to ensure accountability and protect institutional credibility.
