• No violation of law in fund transactions: Senior official
• Each transaction monitored by AG, subject to accounting practices
• Final authority to release funds lies with Prez

The Government will this week release the names of individuals who have received substantial amounts of money from the President’s Fund, The Sunday Morning learns.

However, The Sunday Morning also learns that the Government has not made any request thus far to amend the laws governing the President’s Fund. 

When reached for comment, Ministry of Justice Secretary Ayesha Jinasena, PC stated that she was unable to provide an immediate response, as she would need to review her files before commenting further.

In a statement to Parliament on Tuesday (17), Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa revealed the names of politicians who had received funds from the President’s Fund between 2005 and 2024. 

While some of these funds had been requested for medical purposes, the Minister questioned the justification for such large amounts being drawn by politicians.

The list of recipients includes P. Harrison, Piyasena Gamage, Sumedha Jayasena, Manoj Sirisena, P. Dayaratna, S.C. Muthukumarana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Sarath Amunugama, S.B. Nawinna, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Piyal Nishantha de Silva, Susil Premajayantha, Isura Devapriya, S.A. Jagath Kumara, K.P.S. Kumarasiri, Jayalath Jayawardana, Namal Gunawardana, Dharmadasa Banda, Vidura Wickramanayake, Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Lucky Jayawardana, P. Chandrasekaran, John Amaratunga, Joseph Michael Perera, T.B. Ekanayake, W.M.S. Fonseka, Jayantha Weerasinghe, Alick Aluwihare, Ranjith Aluwihare, Rajitha Senaratne, Keheliya Rambukwella, M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena, Ranjith Soysa, and D.M. Jayaratne. 

Minister Jayatissa expressed concerns over the large sums involved and assured that further investigation into these payments was underway.

Meanwhile, former MP Manoj Sirisena has clarified that he never received Rs. 300,000 from the President’s Fund, despite a statement by Minister Jayatissa in Parliament claiming otherwise. 

Sirisena explained that he had been severely injured in a 2009 suicide bomb attack and spent Rs. 4.5 million on treatment. He requested that his name be removed from the list of those who had allegedly received the funds and asked Dr. Jayatissa to correct the statement, stressing the importance of accuracy in parliamentary remarks.

A senior official attached to the President’s Fund revealed yesterday that all transactions carried out by the fund were subjected to stringent Government auditing processes. 

The official, who requested to remain anonymous, clarified that every transaction made by the fund had to be approved by both the President and the President’s Secretary. 

Additionally, these transactions are closely monitored and audited by the Government to ensure full compliance with legal and financial regulations.

According to the official, between 2005 and 2024, only around 34 individuals have had transactions processed through the President’s Fund, with just five persons named between 2022 and 2024, emphasising the fund’s selective and controlled disbursement process.

The official said that no laws had been violated in transactions exceeding Rs. 1 million, as these funds could only be transferred with the President’s approval. 

“The process is designed to ensure that funds are used for their intended purpose, with strict documentation required from applicants. In cases of medical assistance, for instance, applicants must submit recommendations from doctors and estimates from banks, along with certifications from local officials such as the Grama Sevaka and District Secretary.”

For added accountability, the official stressed that when funds were transferred directly to applicants, the transaction was conducted solely through banks. Furthermore, the official said that all transactions were fully recorded in the system, making it easy to retrieve and review the details at any time.

A significant change in the processing time of transactions was also revealed. While it previously took up to one year to complete a transaction, since 2022, the processing time has been expedited to just three days after the submission of the request.

According to the official, one of the most recent transactions involved a Rs. 5 million grant to actress Malini Fonseka for urgent medical treatment she needed.

The funds, which were part of a larger Rs. 15 million requirement, had been transferred to the Sri Lankan High Commission in India, where a guarantee letter had been issued to the hospital. 

The official confirmed that when funds were needed for foreign medical treatments, they were sent directly to the respective Sri Lankan mission, ensuring oversight and proper allocation.

These procedures, the official reiterated, were part of a robust system designed to ensure that every transaction was subject to thorough auditing and accountability by the Government.

Last week, Minister Jayatissa confirmed that the list would include politicians and other figures who had obtained large sums from the fund.

Dr. Jayatissa previously disclosed some names in Parliament, but emphasised that further investigation was underway to identify more recipients, particularly during the tenure of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. 

“We are working to gather more documents and will release additional names soon,” he said.

The release will also include details about politicians – including Pradeshiya Sabha members, chairmen, Provincial Council members, and ministers – who have benefited from the fund. Minister Jayatissa assured that the full list would be made public once the investigation was complete.

The Minister also revealed that some individuals, particularly politicians, had received more than Rs. 10 million in a single transaction, with some funds distributed through cash cheques. In contrast, ordinary citizens typically receive smaller amounts, usually around Rs. 500,000 in multiple instalments.

Meanwhile, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe clarified that during his tenure from 2022 to September this year, all private requests for medical assistance from public representatives had been processed under the standard administrative procedures of the President’s Fund. He stated that, except for one case, no individual had received more than Rs. 1 million in financial aid.

Notable disbursements during this period included Rs. 1 million for heart surgery for former Western Province Chief Minister E.A. Isura Devapriya Perera at Nawaloka Hospital, Rs. 500,000 for heart surgery for former MP U. Sarath Kongahage at Lanka Hospitals, Rs. 400,000 for hearing aids for former MP S.C. Muthukumarana, and Rs. 1 million for heart surgery for former MP S.A. Jagath Kumara at Asiri Hospital.

Additionally, veteran actress Malini Fonseka had been provided Rs. 5 million through the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Chennai for treatment at Apollo Hospital in India.

Wickremesinghe explained that this support had been extended in recognition of Fonseka’s exceptional contributions to the local arts and cinema industry. He also noted that several other artists had received similar assistance over the past two years.

Wickremesinghe further noted that, over the last two years, the President’s Fund had disbursed substantial financial aid exceeding Rs. 100 million for medical treatments, including support for patients and children requiring critical care.

Meanwhile, according to the National Audit Office (NAO) report on the President’s Fund (latest available), a total of 6,214 patients had sought medical assistance during the year under review for treatments related to heart surgeries, cancer, knee and groin diseases, kidney conditions, brain-related illnesses, and other medical needs.

However, payments for medical assistance had been made to only 1,322 patients, a decrease from 1,684 patients who received payments in the previous year. This represents a decline of 362 patients, or 21%, compared to the preceding year.

Furthermore, when compared to 2019, the number of patients receiving medical assistance payments had decreased by 5,064 – a significant reduction of 79%, according to the report.