Courtesy The Daily Mirror

A commission comprising former Attorney Generals and Auditor Generals should be appointed to probe the bribery charges against the President as reported in the Australian media, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila said today.

He said this was vital to protect the country’s image from being tarnished. Australian media last week reported that Australian Police are investigating allegations that the overseas staff of Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) had bribed officials to secure a US$2.3 million aid-funded sewerage project in Sri Lanka in 2011 when President Maithripala Sirisena was the then Agriculture and Agrarian Services Minister.

The MP told a news conference that the President’s response to the allegation was to seek the Attorney General’s opinion but said this was not practical or adequate. The AG’s opinion and instructions hold no value when it comes to an investigation launched by a foreign country.

The AG can’t take action against Australian media institutions. Australian police are only probing whether the company had bribed the President.

If the company proves they didn’t bribe the President though he asked for one, the probe will end. But, we need to probe the allegations in an extensive manner with the participation of former senior officials to save the country’s reputation,” he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

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