• Matter has not been discussed with the Cabinet
• Government will not take any arbitrary decision on the matter

By Easwaran Rutnam

 Cabinet is in the dark on a move to seek Maldives assistance to bury Muslim coronavirus victims.

Cabinet co-spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that to his knowledge the matter has not been discussed with the Cabinet.

Responding to a question posed by Daily Mirror, the Minister said that if there is a proposal to take the remains to some location, then an expert committee appointed to deliberate on the matter will decide.

The Minister insisted that the Government will not take any arbitrary decision on the matter and will decide only based on the advice given by a group of medical experts appointed to study the issue.

“We strongly believe that when you appoint a committee you take their advice. Otherwise, you don’t appoint them. You just take arbitrary decisions. If someone suggests that the remains can be taken somewhere we will refer it to the committee and take a final decision,” he said.

The Maldives government had said this week that it was considering a request from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to facilitate Islamic funeral rites in The Maldives for Sri Lankan Muslims succumbing to the coronavirus.