Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha raised two matters in concluding his speech. He criticised television channels for repeatedly promoting narratives about gas shortages and queues, arguing that such coverage constitutes promotional content rather than responsible public information. He also tabled a letter from the Association of Divisional Secretaries and Assistant Divisional Secretaries addressed to Minister Lal Kantha, alleging that Rukmal Jayawira, a Coordination Secretary to the Minister of Lands and Highways, is exerting political pressure on land administration duties, and requested that the matter be investigated.

Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha addressed the Deputy Minister, arguing that the core problem in the matter under discussion is not pricing but supply capacity, which is causing queues and restricted daily distribution. He urged an urgent investigation and a lasting solution, warning of potential escalation similar to the crisis experienced in 2022.

The speaker welcomes the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill while noting it took the government a year to introduce under the "Clean Sri Lanka" initiative. The majority of the speech addresses an ongoing national gas supply crisis, which the speaker attributes not to foreign exchange shortages as during COVID, but to the government's selection of a supplier lacking the logistical capacity—ships, storage facilities, and consistent supply chains—to meet national demand of 10,000–12,000 MT per cargo, requiring four to five deliveries monthly. The speaker argues that prioritising marginal price differences over supplier capability has caused the shortages, and proposes that Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. be returned to full state control and properly managed. The speaker urges the government to resolve the crisis promptly before panic buying compounds the situation.

## Summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha opposed the extension of Emergency Regulations, arguing that the government failed to declare an emergency during actual flood and landslide disasters in Gampola, Peradeniya, Geli Oya, Chilaw, and Mahiyanganaya, and is now invoking emergency powers not for disaster relief but to suppress growing public discontent against Ministers and MPs. He criticised the government's disaster recovery record as superficial, citing the absence of restored rail connectivity on key hill-country routes and an inability to complete basic reconstruction works. The speaker further warned that economic stagnation—evidenced by falling electricity demand in 2025 and the deterioration of SMEs under tax pressure—combined with inadequate relief for Cyclone Dithwa victims, risked producing political consequences comparable to those that brought down the Rajapaksa government. He concluded by calling on the President, Prime Minister, and Speaker to resolve institutional tensions affecting parliamentary staff and to focus on governance rather than emergency rule.