President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has claimed that five criminal gangs are operating simultaneously in Sri Lanka, suggesting the possibility of a coordinated conspiracy against the government. Speaking in Parliament during the Committee Stage of the 2025 Budget Debate, he asserted that his administration is determined to put an end to the criminal state that operates beneath the legal system.
The President highlighted that racism and extremism have historically posed threats to national security and affirmed that his government will not allow such forces to resurface in Sri Lanka. He also announced plans to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with a new legal framework.
Responding to recent debates on national security, he emphasized that the opposition would not be allowed to destabilize the government by creating an economic crisis or public unrest. He challenged his political rivals to move beyond divisive politics and prove their ability to surpass the governance and civilization his administration seeks to establish. He warned that failing to evolve beyond outdated political practices would render them irrelevant.
The President stated that criminal gangs operating within the underground network will not receive any protection from members of his government. He further asserted that the Sri Lankan Army and Police will be transformed into professional institutions, free from political favoritism in appointments and transfers. He criticized the previous administration for granting seven service extensions to the former Chief of Defence Staff, arguing that such favoritism hinders progress. His government, he stated, is committed to building a defense force that is loyal to the state rather than individuals.
He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring justice for crimes that have long remained unresolved, pledging that all possible measures would be taken to serve justice. He insisted that a nation’s civilization is rooted in trust in its defense structures and vowed to lead the country away from a state of lawlessness and incivility.
Turning his attention to the opposition, the President suggested that their hopes of creating an economic crisis to gain power had already failed. He questioned whether they were now attempting to seize control by manufacturing a national security crisis. Investigations into five major crimes committed this month have revealed that they were carried out by five separate criminal gangs, and he expressed suspicion that the simultaneous occurrence of these incidents might be part of a larger conspiracy. He assured that the government would take all necessary steps to suppress these threats.
Declaring that the era of transferring government power through conspiracies has ended, he insisted that governance should be determined by democratic and civilized principles. He pledged to build a society where state institutions and political authority remain free from the influence of criminal elements.
The President also highlighted significant allocations in the 2025 budget to strengthen national security. These include increased allowances for security forces undergoing foreign training, funding for new aircraft for the Air Force and Navy, and a budget of Rs. 1,000 million to improve facilities for the Police Department. Additionally, funds have been allocated for the recruitment of 10,000 new personnel each for the Air Force and Police.
President Dissanayake reiterated his government’s commitment to restoring trust in the state’s security institutions and ensuring that law enforcement serves the nation rather than private political interests.
~PMD~
