President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that he has never protected any person accused of wrongdoing. He made these comments during a meeting with the heads of media organizations in Colombo on Wednesday.
Responding to a question about his confidence in an electoral victory despite being surrounded by politicians accused of corruption, Wickremesinghe emphasized that it is the voters’ responsibility to judge these accusations.
“The voter must decide if such people are accused of corruption or not, that is not my task. The franchise holder must exercise it,” he said.
The President also highlighted forthcoming legislation aimed at combating corruption, including the Anti-Corruption Act and the Proceeds of Crime Act. He criticized the sharp political focus on corruption without acknowledging efforts to address it, stating, “Everyone talks of corruption but nobody talks of what has been done to address it,” Wickremesinghe said.
He further remarked on the electoral process, saying, “Both good and corrupt people will vote for me, and when a parliamentary election comes, they will vote for them as they wish. Am I supposed to canvas on behalf of the MPs?”
Wickremesinghe questioned his role in legal proceedings against accused ministers, stating, “Have I protected any MP or interfered in any legal proceeding against Ministers? In politics, we work with everyone. It is the responsibility of law enforcement to investigate if they are accused of corruption. There is a pending case against a Minister, have I stopped that? I would be wrong, only if I stop this process,” he said. (Newswire)