Constitution not for personal agendas: Hakeem

The country's Constitution is not a document to be used or abused according to the whims and fancies of three people - President Maithirpala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem said yesterday.

He said this during an adjournment debate on the abolition of the
Executive Presidency.

“The Constitution is a sacrosanct document on which is based the administration of the country and cannot be used or abused according to the whims and fancies of three people. President Sirisena does not want the Executive Presidency abolished as he wants to cling to this post again while Prime Minister Wickremesinghe wants it removed because he is not used to irrational campaigns when it comes to a presidential elections and not used to the emotional aspects of an election. This is because he appeals to the intelligentsia of the country. Mr. Rajapaksa wants to grab power and getting into serious difficulties because those around him are misleading and pushing him into taking wrong decisions,” Mr. Hakeem said.

He said other aspects of the Constitution should be looked into and suggested that the electoral system should be readressed. “We prefer the proportional representation system. We were seriously affected by the local government elections under the new mixed system.

Mr. Hakeem said the interim report of the steering committee of the Constitutional Assembly should be discussed in February next year. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)


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