Former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has denied claims made by Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake regarding his use of state resources, asserting that he never occupied an official government residence nor used public funds for personal expenses.
In a statement, Abeywardena clarified that while government funds were used to host foreign diplomats, his personal expenses were covered by his own money. He also rejected allegations of excessive fuel usage, stating that only three vehicles were allocated for his security and that additional vehicles provided for staff followed official guidelines.
Calling the reported fuel expenditure of Rs. 33.4 million “statistically impossible,†he urged Parliament to conduct a special audit. He also encouraged journalists to scrutinize financial records dating back to 2020 under the Freedom of Information Act.
Abeywardena criticized the use of misinformation for political gain, emphasizing that leadership should be judged by actions rather than appearances. He concluded his statement by referencing verses from the Dhammapada, underscoring his belief that truth would ultimately prevail. (NewsWire)
