(Lanka-e-News -04.Aug.2025, 11.10 PM) Word on the (very well-carpeted) corridors of Colombo’s elite political clubs is that an unholy alliance—part comedy, part tragedy—is quietly forming against the Anura Dissanayake-led government's bold moves to scrap the lavish perks of former presidents and end the lifetime pension schemes of MPs.
In what some insiders are calling “the comeback cartel”, a curious cast of characters is said to be cooking up legal challenges and backroom strategy sessions. Leading the charge are none other than Sajith Premadasa, Udaya Gammanpila, Namal Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maithripala Sirisena, Nandana Gunathilaka, and Premasiri Manage—strange bedfellows for sure, but apparently united by one common thread: a nostalgic longing for privileges now slipping through their fingers.
The catalyst? A Gazette notification announcing the revocation of excessive privileges for former presidents—chauffeurs, office staff, housing, unlimited security convoys, and all the trappings of post-power luxury. Parliamentarians too were left rattled after murmurs of the scrapping of their plush pensions gathered steam, with the NPP showing no signs of retreat.
Sources say the group has been holding discreet talks on jointly challenging the reform package in court. “Forget ideology, forget party lines—this is about lifestyle,” quipped one insider, half-jokingly. But the sentiment runs deep: if these reforms go through, many high-profile former officials will be left uncomfortably close to the status of mere mortals.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who has yet to issue a public statement. Her silence, as always, is being read like tea leaves at a political séance. Is she mulling a surprise stand with the reformers? Or biding time to rejoin her peers in protecting the old political order?
Public opinion, however, is firmly on the side of reform. For years, Sri Lankans have railed against the blatant indulgences enjoyed by their former leaders, even as the country staggered under debt and economic ruin. The National People’s Power (NPP), riding a wave of anti-corruption sentiment, promised in its “Prosperous Country – Beautiful Life” manifesto that these luxuries would be axed. True to form, the government is now acting on that promise.
But as one seasoned political commentator noted, “When you poke the perks, the perks poke back.” Expect legal filings, media drama, and perhaps even a teary press conference or two. After all, for some, life after politics just isn’t worth living without a government-funded Mercedes.
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by (2025-08-04 18:57:23)
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