Singapore FTA: JO challenges Malik to a debate

The joint opposition today challenged Minister Malik Samarawickrama to a debate on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore and urged President Maithripala Sirisena to suspend the FTA.

JO MP Bandula Gunawardana told a news conference said Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama or Ministry Secretary Chandani Wijewardana could fix a date for a debate at which the JO would reveal the truth about the Singapore FTA.

“This FTA should not be allowed to function, as it had betrayed Sri Lanka. The minister says anyone can access the FTA online. But only the English version is available so far. Therefore, people are not aware of its content. As far as we know, 13 ministers had submitted amendments to the FTA but none of them had been accepted,” he said.

The MP said the minister did not even bother to present the FTA to Parliament and that it was the JO which presented it to Parliament.

"If the FTA is not suspended immediately, the President will have to take the responsibility for betraying the country,” the MP said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa