“Swan’s manifesto contains no realistic proposals”

By Jatila Karawita

Minister of Education Susil Prem Jayanth says that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is on course to win a second term of office despite a campaign of hate politics being practiced by the UNP led Common presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka.
In an interview with LAKBIMAnEWS the minister affirmed that Fonseka’s credibility to aspire for the highest post of the land is a question and worse still he had put forward an election manifesto containing unrealistic proposals. He also went on to say that despite the attempt of the UNP led opposition to tie up with the TNA and several other Tamil politicians across the political spectrum the President would have no difficulty in winning over the minority votes when it comes to the crunch.

What are your views of the polls manifesto unveiled by General Sarath Fonseka?

This is a downright joke. You can’t even clarify or describe it as a manifesto as it hardly contains any realistic or tangible proposals to provide relief to the masses which they crow about nowadays from the rooftops.
I don’t think it is valuable to waste time at even discussing the so-called ‘Believable Change’ because it doesn’t carry weight in my opinion and it only contains at most a few ideas or things which they hope to achieve but cannot practically on the ground. This entire manifesto is clear example of what the common opposition candidate stands for and that is bankrupt hollow politics, which do not hold water as far as the public are concerned.

But, the opposition is charging that the President is lagging behind so much so that he has even so far failed to unveil his own manifesto and do you think proposals such as elimination of corruption and bribery and establishment of democracy is only a gimmick for General Fonseka to gain power?

The President is working according to the guidelines or plans mapped out by his advisors and the opposition need not worry or be unduly concerned of the President’s election campaign as it is pretty hunky dory at the moment.
Another thing is the President is simply not ready to dance according to the tune of the opposition and he only acts according to what the people want.
The President’s polls manifesto aptly titled ‘MAHINDA CHINTHANA 2’ is to be unveiled officially tomorrow (Jan 11) at 10.30 am at the BMICH.
When that is presented, the people will be able to see crystal clearly as to which manifesto is truly realistic, pragmatic and practical and which is not.
You mentioned about elimination of corruption and bribery but look at the people that the opposition candidate has tied up with and are you in your right mind trying to convince me that with the likes of Mangala Samaraweera, Rauf Hakeem, Mano Ganeshan and that entire bunch that he could create this so-called believable change.
You really have to be out of your mind but I doubt the majority of people in this country are.

How do you look at the recent lining up of the TNA with the opposition candidate and isn’t this a real setback for the President?

Not at all. The TNA has already got blacklisted among the Tamil community as a LTTE proxy and was officially the political machinery of the late Tiger leader.
Thus to infer that just because the TNA decided to back General Fonseka that the Tamil people will be swayed to support him as well is a complete misnomer and a misconception.
The TNA no longer have a voice in the North and they are divided to the core and I make it bold to say that had the LTTE leader been alive today, he too would have thrown his lot with Fonseka and the real danger in this involvement is if the opposition candidate wins it could pave the way for a yet another armed struggle with the forces who are putting untold pressure on the President from overseas.

Are you saying that the LTTE could re-activate in the event of the opposition winning the Jan 26 polls?

There could be a possibility and I am not stupid to rule it out entirely. You just look at the people who are now on the opposition platform.
From Ranil Wickremasinghe, Somawansa Amerasinghe, Rauf Hakim, Mano Ganesan, R Sampanthan to Mangala Samaraweera, all played prominent roles to stultify the humanitarian operations of the government during the height of the war and now they have shown no fear or dignity of whatsoever in holding hands on the stage.
There is also to my knowledge a secret agenda which the opposition candidate has signed with the TNA and both Sampanthan and Fonseka are afraid to declare what they have signed to the country because that will backfire on them on Jan 27.

But, not only the TNA, a couple of CWC members along with Deputy Minister S Sellasamy defected to the opposition?

The major figures of the CWC are yet with the UPFA and just because a few defected that will not hamper the President’s vote base by and large in the up country.

What could the people expect from the ‘MAHINDA CHINTHANA 2’?

It will primarily contain contents to take the country forward from a development perspective further into the 21st century and to eradicate poverty and empower people nationwide.
The President will also personally look to carry out salary increments to all sectors instead of signaling out public servants only and improve all vital sectors from healthcare, water, electricity, housing etc.

Is the government overconfident of winning?

No we are not overconfident but exuding with confidence that the people will use the poll date Jan 26 as the day of gratitude and return Mahinda Rajapaksa for a second-term with a 60 per cent of the total votes.