Ex-SLMC Ministers to refrain from resuming office

Former ministers representing the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) have decided to refrain from resuming office until the problems of the Muslim community are resolved.

This decision had been taken at the party Central Committee meeting which was held yesterday (Jul 21), SLMC parliamentarian H.M.M Harris said.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem noted that his party hopes to discuss the problems faced by the Muslim community with the government in the near future.

He added that the decision on joining the government's new alliance on August 5 would be decided based on the outcome of these talks.

Meanwhile, Minister of Posts M.H.A Haleem yesterday said that the Muslim ministers who resigned from their portfolios are likely to resume office this week.

Muslim ministers in the UNP-led coalition government quit their ministerial portfolios in early June amidst mounting claims that some of them had links to terrorist activities in the country.

Only two of them - M.H.A Haleem and Kabir Hashim - had re-accepted their ministerial portfolios later that month.