The Working Committee of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), which is slated to meet today (8), will discuss the initiation of disciplinary action against SJB MP A.H.M. Fowzie, who voted in favour of the Resolution for the implementation of the arrangements under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF), The Daily Morning learned.

While the SJB had decided not to take part in the vote for the said Resolution which took place late last month, Fowzie, who entered Parliament following the resignation of then-MP Mujibur Rahman, voted in favour of it. It was recently reported that the SJB was to initiate legal action against Fowzie for acting contrary to the Party's decision.

When queried as to whether the Party had decided on a course of action against Fowzie, SJB National Organiser and MP Tissa Attanayake said that a Disciplinary Board would be appointed to look into the matter in the coming days. “There will be disciplinary action against him, and a board will be appointed to look into his conduct. The process may take some time. All these matters will be discussed at the Party's Working Committee tomorrow (8),” he said.

He also said that disciplinary action that has already been initiated against SJB MPs, who later joined the Government and assumed Ministerial and State Ministerial posts including Manusha Nanayakkara, Harin Fernando and Diana Gamage, are still underway. “These processes usually take a long time, but the Party is strictly acting on its disciplinary-related matters.”

The Resolution in question was passed in Parliament on 28 April with a majority of 95 votes. A total of 120 MPs voted in favour of the Resolution while 25 had voted against it. Except for Fowzie, all other members of the SJB and the Tamil National Alliance were not present in the Chamber at the time of voting.