Sri Lanka is slipping towards authoritarian governance as the administration relies on oppressive laws and economic mismanagement, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Harshana Rajakaruna said.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo on Monday (09), he said that draft measures such as the protection of state from terrorism bill act and organized crime prevention bill are intended to suppress dissent rather than protect national security.
He observed that several current government ministers actively challenged comparable legislation in court when serving in opposition, yet abandoned those positions after taking office.
International monitoring bodies including the United Nations and global human rights organisations have voiced strong reservations regarding these statutory proposals, which the lawmaker said risk steering the country towards a North Korean style of administration.
Turning to economic affairs, Rajakaruna urged the government to fulfill key campaign promises in its upcoming budget, noting that severe taxation and elevated living expenses continue to strain households.
He called for immediate relief through a one-third cut in electricity tariffs, the dismantling of the fuel pricing formula to align consumer prices with import costs, and higher salaries for public servants.
Rajakaruna also rejected official statements attributing recent flooding in Colombo purely to rainfall patterns, calling on municipal authorities to clear clogged drainage networks rather than offering excuses for operational failures.
He warned that public distress will worsen rapidly unless the government abandons its restrictive legislative measures and fixes core governance defects across the country.
