An Asian Clown Lands in London! A Photo Story.
Posted on March 10th, 2015
Prof. Hudson McLean
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!
The following pictures leave anyone Speechless!
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala);, lands in London dressed more like a clown from a circus.
Obviously President Maithreepala Sirisena and Mrs Sirisena got a local tailor from Grandpass to stitch a few pieces together.
Where the hell are his advisors?
The Foreign Minister looked, as if he suffered from a severe hangover, glum-faced, standing near President Sirisena.
The photographs published in AsianTribune
http://www.asiantribune.com/node/86544
pictures the pair like a couple of village peasants, (which they are) nothing like a dignified Head of State!
In the first photo, My3 Sirisena dressed in a half Sherwani in beige with a grey Jacket, which did not match in photos.
The second photo, My3 Sirisena in a colour-contrast mauve Sherwani, beige trousers, the same grey jacket, with Mrs Sirisena huddled like a subservient slave, is a disaster. Looked more like a Catholic Cardinal about to meet the Pope!
Definitely shows that the pair has never been on a foreign tour, looking like a Leader of a Nation.
May I humbly recommend that, My3 & his wife gets some advice on how to maximise “Photo Opportunities” specially when these official pictures are blasted all over the Internet, not just in Dinamina or Colombo Daily News.
Next, the man should get some advice on to select a decent tailor, and colour combinations which make photo ops and TV image makes him look a bit more photogenic!! As MY3 is, he really requires some basics on Sartorial Facts!
Someone from High Commission should drag MY3 & Mrs Sirisena, to Selfridges or better still to Harrods and get them kitted-up properly.
Might I suggest that the best colour combination for the sun-burnt Sri Lankan is pastel blue shirt with dark shades of blue suits, with golden yellow shaded tie, or ideally the National Dress in White. Get away from brown or beige shades which does nothing to a decent picture opportunity.
We await the media presentations of the Commonwealth Conference Chairman, amusing the global audience.
BRING BACK – Mahinda Rajapaksa! The White National Dress with the Red Shawl looked elegant and dignified!
PS: Long time ago, at the London Kensington Hilton side entrance, I bumped into the then Foreign Minister ACS Hameed, with a stuffed black bin-bag, and his battered brief-case, waiting for High Commission pick-up, as he told me when I offered him a lift. So much for a Dignified Exit!
To the Editor – Moderator of LankaWeb:
As you might note, a few in the Gallery react somewhat in “Panic Mode”, CAPS, more like sand-blasting a mirror. Actually I am amused and so are many of the readers, who see the mentality of these respondents. Please let the Blast continue, entertain the Readers, as a form of Catharsis!
Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
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March 10th, 2015 at 2:55 am
The new Presidents choice of colours if bad, just read what the UNP Minister for education had to say about the party colours, come the next general elections. “The UNP brought in the voters for MY3’s win and his party will be the UNP”
.
Will we be governed by a “Cocktail” party? We are heading for a Political System like no other in the world . What we
have here is a system like the old Sinhala saying “Pissiige palaa malluma”.
March 10th, 2015 at 3:37 am
Where the hell are his advisors?- couple departed from plan commmmon … what dressedup you are expecting ? can you dress up typical our veddi & salva / Saree in plan 16 hours travel?
this real president of Mother Lanka simple people former Girama sevakar who elected by all three community of Mother Lanka !!!
March 10th, 2015 at 3:43 am
also look at staffs ( woman) how common Vanakkam not statue Vanakkam
at last we Lankan landed ( not fly in sky with Chinese OC money / Commico Economy plan with 9$b liability in 10 Years time)
March 10th, 2015 at 5:36 am
Fair’s fair, Professor. MR was not exactly an example of sartorial elegance either. And towards the end of his regime he was looking decidedly clownish himself with all those rings and a silly amulet he carried around with him. And as for Mrs R, what would you have to say? Quite frankly I think you are picking on something quite unimportant and your comments say as much about you as they do of the President.
March 10th, 2015 at 6:06 am
I am glad that he is wearing cloths suitable for this day and age. I bet the writers to this web isn’t wearing the so called national, dress of the clowns?
March 10th, 2015 at 6:08 am
Hdson
Don’t write crap,bet you don’t wear the National dress of the clowns back home, so get real and get a life.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:06 am
Prof. Hudson
You are 100% correct. When your country is represented at national leadership level, you can not do it dressed like that.
That is the very reason that all the politicians in the developed world normally dress smartly. When it comes to negotiations, your appearance is very important. There are some consultant companies in the West who can recommend your dress and even your hair style before you go for a major contract negotiation.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:11 am
I have heard that Mangala is a trained clothes designer and tailor. I wonder whether he had a hand in the design and tailoring of my3’s clothes?
Apart from the clothes, a leader has to carry himself/herself in a certain manner. That comes with strong values and when there is integrity and certainty of himself.
As Queen Elizabeth said the best letter of recommendation is your own face. It shows ones character so well.
March 10th, 2015 at 7:32 am
The new President has a dress problem. During his election campaign and post election Indian visit as President, he was dressed in a national dress topped with a Modi type jacket. Now on this visit to England he is dressed up in a combination from different dresses, which I have not seen before.
I think the best for him is to wear the elegant white National Dress. If the weather is too cold, he could wear a few woollen thermal wear vests and long johns underneath and a woollen scarf round his neck. Or else, wear a normal suit, without getting into these funny hybrid dresses.
I remember how the Colombo UNP supporters were ridiculing Mahinda rajapakse for his dress. But now I wonder what they see, when their own leader is like this. They should help him.
As for Mangala, I think his dress sense is OK, but unfortunately he always looked like a stuffed mullet.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:57 am
unfortunately he always looked like a stuffed mullet-Agreed nothing to do with his dress He need sort out so many thing in 100 days of his political life , poor man
so fare so good UNHCR report extended to Sep 2015, China not send their war ship yet to collect loan money , Modi is in good mud etc …
March 10th, 2015 at 9:43 am
Quite frankly I think you are picking on something quite unimportant – Cassandra to Prof. McLean
I fully agree with Cassandra. The days are long gone when we not only felt ‘obliged’ but also ‘dignified’ when measuring ourselves up to Western (more specifically British) standards. Today such attitudes would not only be considered ‘slavish’ but also ‘condemnable’ and downright ‘shameful’, and justly so. Unhappily we have still not crossed that ‘bridge of shame’ once and for all judging from the opinions of some writers and commentators.
I congratulate our President for his non-conformist attitude. We call ourselves a proud nation. Did not Emmerson Tennant publicly declare that ‘no Island, England not exempted, can boast of all the historical, cultural, religious qualities and attributes that Ceylon possesses? Proud we were, proud we are, and proud we must continue to be.
I also found it absolutely contradictory and shameful on the part of several commentators to poke fun at our President regarding his lack of mastery of English, and about his being accompanied by an interpreter. Those commentators pride themselves on being ‘nationalists’ but they reveal themselves for what they really are, FAKES, by unmasking themselves at crucial moments.
The supreme trumps of a real nationalist are his pride in his language, his religion and his culture. Why the hell should a President of ours be fluent in English? He has a language of his own, a language that was fully developed when the English were babbling like monkeys atop their trees. When our president sits with his hosts and discourses in his language, he is dong his country proud. When Cameron visited our country, did he speak to us in Sinhala? These shameful pseudo-nationalists of this forum are only trying to hoodwink their readers. They are a disgrace to this nation.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
March 10th, 2015 at 11:19 am
In the modern society there is something called dress code? Look at Sirisena and Mrs. Sirisena in those photographs. Sirisena is dressed like a scarecrow while Mrs Sirisena’s attire reminds me of Michelin Pappa the cartoon figure used by the Michelin Tyre Company those days.
In various parts of the world, a specific nomenclature for dress has arisen. Contrary to the common meaning within Asian culture, in the diplomatic community, “informal dress” equates to business dress. In some parts of the world, other terms for informal dress for men include “lounge suit”, “national dress”, “tenue de ville”, “planters”, “shirt and tie”, “island casual”, and “bush shirt”.
It is really amusing the way some Sri Lankans think about the dress code and Sri Lankan etiquette.
March 10th, 2015 at 11:20 am
Dress Code is a big thing in the West & if you have no idea better not step on to their land.How dignified & charismatic MR looked in his white immaculate national dress.Sad to say but huddled up,crouched not for a First Lady.If you choose to be in that chair do it well otherwise give up & go back to Polonnaruwa.A country’s , Nation’s pride at stake, not a simple issue.These people are hypocrits waiting to exploit us & when you present to them meekly & subservient they will suck your last drop of blood.
March 10th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Come ‘on gentlemen!
Our president studied at Polonnaruwa Royal Viththiyalayum, not Royal Colombo, S Thomas, Thurston or St Bridget’s. Had he studied at a posh school he will be dressed differently and speak differently.
By insulting this farmer/Grama Sevaka’s son you are insulting the COMMON MAN of SL.
His wife is not a miss universe beauty! She is an ordinary village woman with POOR beginnings. For his wedding he borrowed money, hired a car and had a small party at a roadside ‘hotel’.
I’m PROUD of the “GODAYA” president of SL. Let him wear a westernized dress to compensate for his lack of language skills and “match”.
BTW he can visit his “Buckingham Stables” in the UK!!!
March 10th, 2015 at 1:56 pm
I was the first to comment and I don’t know why my comment was deleted. I will try again slightly differently.
Dear Prof.,
Any decent dress which covers the body sufficiently and suits the climate is OK. If a Buddhist monk was our president and went there are you going to call him a clown ?
What is more important is that the person abide by a discipline code such as ,
1. Do not drink alcohols
2. Do not steal
3. Do not go to night clubs leaving wife at hotel
4. Do not lie
5. Eat moderately
You should look at the positive side. This man looks slim proving his moderate eating habits. His wife is so simple looking without make up.
We Sinhala Buddhist value these and are proud of it.
March 10th, 2015 at 2:43 pm
Lorenzo
At last he found Buckingham Palace in London, Not in USA.
Independent
If he is so simple inside, then he should follow the international dress code and etiquette. He is very useful for yahapalanaya supporters.
But for the rest, he is a top class crook who manipulated and got a world bank loan for his brother to buy couple of most modern rice mills to become Araliya rice king at Polonnararuwa exploiting poor rice farmers in the region for ever.
March 10th, 2015 at 2:45 pm
HUDSON !! They are simple people who don’t have to be servile to a Western dress. YOU ARE THE DAMNING CLOWN, HUDSON.
Let us not be so critical about a simple Sinhalese man’s dress. His wife’s dress too is very simple. So what about it ? YOU CLOWN.
Susantha Wijesinghe
A Melwin Jones Fellow.
March 10th, 2015 at 3:39 pm
simple Sinhalese man’s dress. His wife’s dress too is very simple.- agreed be proud to mother Lankan !
March 10th, 2015 at 5:10 pm
However well you try to dress a Grama Sevaka he looks one. Even in a loin cloth a leader looks a leader! Looks at his body language. He is a pushover, somebody’s catspaw and a lame duck.
He has joined the traitorous lot of the United Christian Party formerly called the UNP to dismember Sri Lanka and create Eelam.
Listen to the Rajitha revelations on how they plotted the coup to oust Mahinda Rajapakse. Swollen headed Rajapakse walked into the trap set up by these traitors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUvmR_qp9sE
March 10th, 2015 at 5:28 pm
My problem is that I HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS SAKKILIYA SPEAKING IN ENGLISH WITH THE REPS OF OTHER COUNTRIES??? Y IS THAT???
March 10th, 2015 at 7:16 pm
Have to agree with McLean, he is a clown regardless of what he wears. The traitor, the backstabber. Disgrace to Sri Lanka and the presidency.
March 10th, 2015 at 8:04 pm
Jay ran . Your choice words are deplorable and uncivilesd.
March 10th, 2015 at 9:26 pm
An Asian Clown Lands in London – Prof.McLean
Prof McLean calls President Sirisena ‘an Asian clown’
Winston Churchill called Mahatma Gandhi ‘a naked Fakir’.
It is opportune to remind Prof McLean and his supporters of how Mahatma Gandhi went to London on the invitation of the king and queen of England.He arrived in London and at Buckingham Palace true to his style, sporting just a loincloth and shawl. When asked if he was wearing enough clothes, he wittily responded that “the King has on enough for both of us!”
At the time of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit, the British Empire was at the height of its power and glory. That Empire on which the sun never set did the vanishing trick such a long time ago, such a long time ago that many generations do not remember it at all. Today the founding country of that empire is just a fifth grade power with hardly a say and surely so little clout in world affairs.
Our Presidents do not need to pamper the vanity of such countries now on the steep decline.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
March 10th, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Mario – The sun, at that time did not set on the British empire because the Gods did not trust them.
March 11th, 2015 at 4:43 am
Jay ran . Your choice words are deplorable and uncivilesd
Thank you L Perera