The vote to suspend Parliament Standing Orders to debate the Motion of Displeasure against the President was defeated as it lacked a better strategic approach, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said. “This was not a vote on the Motion of Displeasure against the President. This was a vote to suspend all Parliament proceedings and immediately debate the Motion of Displeasure.
“I advised M.P.Sumanthiran on May 16 that this would be self-defeating, as Government MPs who wanted to debate the attacks on their houses would not vote in favour to immediately debate the Motion of Displeasure.
“It would have been better to allow the debate on the attacks to take place today, and in a few days time these Government MPs would be compelled to vote in favour of the symbolic Motion of Displeasure.
“Now the MPs who support the President would use the defeat of this vote as an opportunity to block the Motion of Displeasure being taken up at a later date.
“It would be best if the Opposition used a better strategic approach going forward. Nevertheless, wish to reaffirm our commitment to vote in favour of the motion as communicated earlier last week,” the PM said.
Add new comment