DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Virakesari: “Sajith Premadasa is in a hurry to become the president” – Thalatha Athukorala criticises | Muslim people are with the president – Pro-Ranil Wickremesinghe Muslim MPs jointly announce
Thinakaran: Thalatha Athukorala parts from the SJB leaving the MP post after delivering special
statement in parliament | Muslims owe it to support the president; president created a situation for the people to live with some relief – Muslim MPs jointly announce
Thinakkural: “Votes of Tamil people are affected since Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa are contesting separately” – Thalatha Athukorala | “A new allocation assigned to Muszhaaraff by cancelling the allocation assigned to Rishad Bathiudeen” – Sajith Premadasa opposes
Thamilan: “If Sajith Premadasa loses, it would be political suicide!” – Thalatha Athukorala warns SJB members | Vadivel Suresh and Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana sworn in as state ministers | Rauff fHakeem and Harees meet Sajith Premadasa on his invitation
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: Thalatha grows tired of the party and parliamentary seat | The death of the pregnant graduate: Doctor from Mannar suspended; three others caught | Vadivel and Ali Zahir who joined Ranil given ministerial posts
Divaina: Thalatha stirs up the SJB
Ada: Disappointed Thalatha resigns | Karunadasa from Matara pledges support to Sajith
Mawbima: “Those that jumped the thieves’ ship have now boarded the SJB” – Athukorala | “An attempt from the substandard medicine company to bribe those who were blinded” – SJB MP Dr. Kavinda reveals
Dinamina:Thalatha also leaves the SJB making a special statement in parliament: resigns from parliamentary seat as well
Aruna: Orders to suspend 900 bank accounts in order to recover tax arrears
Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Daily News
Muslim people owe it to support the president – Pro-Ranil Wickremesinghe Muslim MPs jointly announce
Virakesari, Thinakaran
Muslim MPs who support President Ranil Wickremsinghe have jointly announced that only SJB MPs Rauff Hakeem and Rishad Bathiudeen support Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, and that the Muslim people around the country are with them in support of President Wickremesinghe. They further stated that Muslim people support the president for the reason that the people of the country need a situation to live without threats and suspicions.
Rauff Hakeem and Harees meet Sajith Premadasa on his invitation
Thinakkural, Thamilan
SJB MPs Rauff Hakeem and H.M.M. Harees have had a meeting with Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa at the parliament premises. They had the meeting on the invitation of Premadasa.
Parliamentarian Harees explained to Premadasa the issues of the people of the Eastern Province and the current issues that Muslim people face. MP Rauff Hakeem emphasised to Premadasa several demands for the interests of the Muslim community.
“Rs. 25,000 allowance for public officers is not an electoral promise” –
Ranjith Siyambalapitiya
Thinakaran, Virakesari
State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated that the decision to provide a Rs. 25,000 cost of living allowance for public officers is neither merely a
promise nor a word to become popular targeting the election. He added that the cabinet has also approved the inclusion of such a decision in the upcoming budget of the government.
“I have not provided liquor permits to anyone” – Prasanna Ranatunga
Virakesari, Thamilan
Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga stated that he has neither provided liquor shop permits to anyone nor has he recommended anyone for such a purpose. He added that the opposition parties are spreading false propaganda for their political benefit.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: NewsWire
Debate among the presidential candidates to be held on September 7
Divaina, Ada, Mawbima
The March 12 Movement will be hosting a debate among the 39 presidential candidates who will be contesting the 2024 Presidential Election. While the movement had previously decided to hold the debate among only six presidential candidates, the requests made by other candidates had prompted the movement to open the debate to all presidential candidates. Accordingly, the debate will be held on September 7.
Postponing the LG elections: Verdict to be given today
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima
The verdict on the petitions that were submitted to court challenging the move to postpone the Local Government (LG) elections will be given today (22nd). Several groups including the SJB and the NPP had submitted the petitions stating that it violated the public’s basic right to vote.
717 election complaints received within 21 days
Ada, Mawbima
The Election Commission (EC) stated that 717 complaints in connection to the presidential election have been received within a 21-day period. The EC added that these complaints had been made between July 31 and August 20 and that 693 of these complaints are about violations of the election laws. The EC further added that only one complaint regarding committing acts of violence related to the election has been reported.
“Do not vote”: The North pressured by a political group
Mawbima
It is reported that a political group including General Secretary of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) MP Selvarajah Kajendren has launched a programme in Jaffna urging the public to boycott the upcoming presidential election. The programme calls for a new constitution for Sri Lanka, and has reportedly been carrying out social media campaigns for the cause as well.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
Photo credits: ONLANKA
Thalatha also leaves the SJB making a special statement in parliament: resigns from parliamentary seat as well
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Ratnapura District SJB MP Thalatha Athukorala resigned her MP position yesterday (21st), only weeks away from the presidential election. Making a special statement in parliament, Athukorala stated that she made the decision to resign as she saw no future for herself with the SJB and that she is unhappy about the path the SJB is taking. She added that the decision was not made due to any political pressures from external sources. Athukorala expressed deep concern over the formation of the SJB following its split from the UNP. She stated further that it is foolish to divide the same camp into two and for those two candidates to compete against each other.
Vadivel and Ali Zahir who joined Ranil given ministerial posts
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Badulla District MP Vadivel Suresh and Batticaloa District MP Ali Zahir Moulana were appointed to ministerial posts yesterday (21st) following the pledging of their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the upcoming election. MP Vadivel Suresh was appointed as State Minister of Labour and MP Ali Zahir Moulana was appointed as Non-Cabinet Minister of Development Projects.
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. SLPP MP Karunadasa sits in the Opposition pledging support to Sajith – Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakkural
2. “Rs. 300 million allocated for MPs who support the government” – Premadasa – Ada, Virakesari, Thinakkural
3. “The bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka is a threat to this country’s security” – Malwatta chief prelate tells Indian HC – Divaina, Thinakkural