Corruption is endemic in Sri Lanka, main opposition leader R Sampanthan today said in the Parliament, demanding independent commission to probe into the alleged Central Bank (CB) treasury bond issue scam.
During the adjournment debate on the alleged bond issue scam, Tamil National Alliace (TNA) leader Sampanthan said the current government which came to power pledging anti- corruption action as its main policy is duty-bound to check corruption in the country.
The opposition moved debate was held on the report issued by the parliamentary oversight committee which pointed out irregularities in two issues of Central Bank bonds in 2015 and 2016.
A company linked to the former central bank governor Arjuna Mahendran was accused of making undue profits from the two issues allegedly benefitting from close connections with the government.
Mahendran was selected for the job by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
"I won't say that Sirisena is corrupt, Wickremesinghe is corrupt yet there is corruption under this government too," Sampanthan asserted.
Sampanthan said an independent commission must be appointed to investigate the allegations.
The opposition has accused Wickremesinghe of trying to cover up his friend when the two issues had caused massive losses to the state coffers.
The government defended its action, saying it would not protect if anyone was found to be corrupt and th due legal process would be pursued on the outcomes mentioned in the report by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).
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