Officials from former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s camp have denied that a sum of Rs. 98 million had been spent on New Year SMS messages sent to the public.
Dinouk Colombage, attached to the former President’s office, said that messages wishing the public for Avurudu from the previous Presidents were dispatched free of charge.
“This is a service provided by the telecom providers,” he said, in a statement on ‘X’.
His clarification comes after NPP MP Nilanthi Kottahachchi revealed that, according to a news report, last year alone, Rs. 98 million had been spent on sending the annual Sinhala and Tamil New Year SMS message from the President of Sri Lanka. (Newswire)