PARLIAMENT

Political surprises and a President's performance

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti, Our Lobby Correspondent

What is particularly nice about the Sri Lankan body politic is that it is always full of surprises- the recent one being the President reading out the government's sixth budget.

To the common man the budget signifies more burdens- hence this Pandora's Box holds no joy. But this time, it wasn't the budget which grabbed the headlines but the presenter.

On Monday afternoon, while President Kumaratunga sprang her political surprise inside the House, outside there was chaos caused by the Presidential Security Division (PSD)- their alleged sins ranging from invading the prayer room of Muslims and allegedly destroying its sanctity, entering the Parliament Well heavily armed and subjecting MPs to humiliating body checks.

The legislature, generally an accessible place despite mounted security was 'paradise lost' as the PSD took the entire place by storm.

With five check points MPs from both sides of the divide were bitterly complaining over alleged harassment. Many entrances were sealed and there were groans from those who couldn't reach a telephone or answer a call of nature .

Amidst this furor, mouths fell open in sheer surprise as President Kumaratunga walked in through the entrance to the Well- all elegance and poise in her yellow and gold saree, clutching a gold hand bag and the brown leather valise which contained the vital documents.

If scribes and officials originally intended to analyze each and every word of the budget they were now craning their necks to get a glimpse of the President who looked cool, perhaps comfortable in the knowledge that she was creating history by being the first Executive President to present a budget here.

Amidst protests from the UNP- that there were armed personnel checking MPs to which Mangala Samaraweera replied that unless they approved of Prabhakaran's tactics they had no right to disapprove of tight security. Ms. Kumaratunga stood unruffled.

Amidst the din, President Kumaratunga signalled PA members to remain calm. Perhaps, she sought to silence her critics too, by personally presenting the budget. Some political analysts see this as an indication of her willingness to return to the parliamentary system and abolish the Executive Presidency as promised.

"I hate displacing you Mr. Speaker from your elevated position in this House. I therefore, employ the permission given to me by Article 32 of the Constitution to sit here in this House, 'to be one with you' today when I present the budget proposals," she said.

She read her budget unfalteringly from the indisposed Prime Minister's chair as she pledged to "further democratize the institution of the executive presidency and then go on to its abolition."

"It's the first time a President has sat in this House, rather than presiding over it. And this act was symbolic of the PA government entering the final phase of the process of re-establishing and strengthening democracy and its practices and institutions" she said, as the House silently listened.

And the President held sway as she said she rejoiced in the fact that coming from a family which had sacrificed much and had even been victims of bullets, she was privileged to be alive and be present in the House.

Heavy on constitutional reforms, the President expressed hope that she would succeed in her effort to resolve the ethnic conflict by the introduction of a new Constitution. "It is heartening that even at this latter stage the UNP was willing to support us," she said.

Just then walked in Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and UNP members burst into a round of applause- and the President, paused and acknowledged his presence with a nod in his direction.

She went on with her preamble for two hours, glossing over the government's many successes in the economic sphere, while gallery comments were rich as a sense of 'deja vu' prevailed.

A few opposition MPs wild over alleged PSD harassment, commented that with the pre-budgetary hikes, there was no reason for hikes through the budget itself. "So much for a calm and quiet budget" scoffed A.H.M. Azwer- as the president zealously read out her text.

The President generous before the general elections proposed to increase the decentralized allocations for parliamentarians from Rs. 2.5 million to Rs. 3.5 million, and the PA benches thumped on their desks with glee. "I shall increase it to Rs. 5 million for those living in war torn areas" she announced.

"Apitath denawada" chorused UNPers and a smiling President replied that unlike others, she did not give preferential treatment to anyone. And up jumped U.L.M. Farook seeking an assurance whether the money would actually reach them.

As she wound up, her proposals which abolished the TV and radio licences and increased the passport fee by Rs.1,500 and if lost, by Rs.10,000 (reminding of the dog tax introduced in Colonial times), Mr. Wickremesinghe lost no opportunity in congratulating the President for being present in the house and actually presenting the budget.

Yet, he was hooted down by vociferous PA backbenchers as he appealed to the President to reduce the fuel price considering the drop in crude oil prices.

"Do it for the suffering masses'," he appealed and was immediately shouted down by Minister Samaraweera. But the UNP leader persisted and cheekily sought an assurance from the President that she would attend sessions during the following week - the second reading of the budget.

There was unprecedented fire on Thursday morning when the second reading of the budget commenced with UNP's Joseph Michael Perera raising a matter of privilege about the PSD's conduct which he said amounted to a violation of personal liberty and restricted movement.

"I have called for a special meeting with all parties concerned to resolve this matter, but I shall not interfere with security" explained the Speaker- with an appeal not to waste time on the first day of the general debate itself.

UNP General Secretary with his usual fire despite himself being under fire from many quarters, queried whether the Speaker admitted there was a lapse. "I didn't say that. I want to find out," he said and all UNPers angrily chorused that it was a unsuitable stance for the custodian of Parliament to take.

And the week's next political surprise came when Asitha Perera, the quiet SLMC member tendered his resignation from the House on Thursday eve.

With political speculation rife despite denials from him and the party that Mr. Perera was pressurized to resign to accommodate a member to counter former SLMC Vice President Segu Issadeen he announced his decision to a depleted House.

The burly member started with a disclaimer. He said he resigned on his own free will.

"I leave to further consolidate my party and will do my best from outside Parliament. I am also happy to create a precedent which would be my humble contribution to enhance the quality of this legislature and inject a bit of decency to politics. I wish that these colleagues that I leave behind would do their best to restore credibility of politicians in the minds of our people who have no faith in politics and politicians," he said.

While the resignation was viewed as a shrewd move by the SLMC to counter Mr. Izzadeen's presence in Parliament, deputy chairman Rauff Hakeem nostalgically recalled that it was he who signed Mr. Perera's nomination papers and now he was presiding over his farewell speech. "Your co-operation and exemplary conduct shall be remembered, specially your sense of sacrifice," he said.

With the dramatic exit of Asitha Perera and the President herself presenting the budget, it was a politically rich week.

But the question now is whether the President would return to the House on March 24 to wind up the budget or whether the unenviable task would be left to the Professor of law to weather the storm?