Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has proposed in Parliament that the privilege of lying under parliamentary immunity should be abolished, similar to the recent removal of MPs’ driving licenses and insurance benefits.
Rajapaksa questioned why MPs are allowed to make false statements inside and outside Parliament, misleading the public while being protected by parliamentary privileges. He emphasized that greater accountability is needed and suggested that the Privileges Committee should be granted more authority to take action against MPs who misuse parliamentary immunity to spread falsehoods.
“We will introduce this as a private member’s bill, or we will ask the government to take action. If neither happens, at the very least, the Privileges Committee should have the power to address instances of lying in Parliament. There should also be provisions to file civil cases against MPs who engage in such conduct,” Rajapaksa stated.
He further added that while it would be ideal to introduce criminal contempt charges, it is unlikely to gain approval from many MPs. His proposal has sparked a debate on parliamentary ethics and accountability, calling for greater transparency in governance.
Goodness me. This is closing the stable door after the horses have bolted. Everyone knows that the Rajapaksas and their cohort were scrupulously truthful in all their pronouncements in Parliament over past years and decades.
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