Muslim Ministers yet to submit resignation letters to Prez

By Jayantha Samarakoon 

The nine Muslim cabinet, state and deputy ministers who declared that they have decided to resign, had not yet sent their letters of resignation to President Maithripala Sirisena, 
sources said.   

They said the ministers have not yet returned their official vehicles, none of their personal staffers had resigned and that their security arrangements continue as usual.   

When contacted, a higher official at the President’s Secretariat said the office has not received any document relating to the resignation of the said ministers as of yesterday. The attempts taken to contact the four cabinet ministers in this regard were unsuccessful.  However, State Minister of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, M. Faizal Casim said all ministers handed over their resignation letters on Monday the June 3. The state minister disconnected the phone even before we tried to ask to whom they had handed over the letters and whether they returned the official vehicles.   Cabinet Ministers Kabir Hashim, Rauff Hakeem, M.H.A. Haleem and Rishad Bathiudeen, State Ministers Faizal Cassim, H. M. M. Harees, Ameer Ali Shihabdeen and Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana and Deputy Minister Abdullah Mahrooff declared on Monday that they have decided to resign.   

The attempts made to contact the secretaries of the related ministries were also no successful.   

However, City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Ministry Secretary said Minister Rauff Hakeem has not informed the ministry about his resignation.