20A approved: 8 opposition defectors support govt

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s parliament has voted to give President Gotabaya Rajapaksa widespread powers to appoint top officials and dissolve the legislature after an acrimonious two-day debate, AFP reported.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected president in November and swiftly appointed his brother, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, as prime minister.

One member of the ruling SLPP party broke ranks undermining the two-thirds necessary to pass the bill, but eight opposition defectors saw the legislation through.

A majority of 156 MPs voted in favor of the draft 20A while 65 MPs voted against it.

The government has said the bill seeks to strengthen Rajapaksa to implement a manifesto promising “strong leadership.”

According to AFP, Justice Minister Ali Sabry told parliament that some provisions granting greater immunity to Rajapaksa and removing financial oversight of state institutions were rolled back after a public outcry.

“Our attempt is to enable the president to exercise people’s power once again,” Sabry said.

Opposition legislator Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said: “This bill not only leads to authoritarian rule, but a dictator.”

“Parliament will be a servile institution after this bill,” the leader of Sri Lanka’s main Muslim party, Rauff Hakeem, told parliament before the law was passed. “Tyranny crawls in quietly.”

The powerful Rajapaksa clan has held sway over the island nation’s politics since 2005.