• CBK says she only receives Rs. 94K pension, official residence which she has spent to renovate & 4 vehicles, claims willing to travel by bus  
• Sirisena notes dislike of constant security presence, confident of absence of threats  

Former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Maithripala Sirisena said that they have no regrets about the abolition or curtailment of the privileges granted to them as former Presidents.

The National People's Power, during their Presidential Election campaign, made several promises, including the reduction of privileges provided to Parliamentarians and former Presidents such as official residences, vehicles, allowances, and security arrangements.

When queried by The Daily Morning regarding the matter, Kumaratunga said that she did not enjoy much privileges compared to other former Presidents. "During the regime of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, I wasn't even paid a pension by the Government. In 2015, when the United National Front-led Government came to power, they were aware that I wasn't paid a pension for nine years, and therefore provided me with a monthly pension of Rs. 94,000. I have opened a separate bank account to receive it, and use it for charity work." Noting that she has also been provided with an official residence and four vehicles by the Government, she claimed that she had spent millions from her personal funds on renovating her official residence. "It's me who pays the salaries of my staff, and the water and electricity bills. I have spent millions earned by selling off my land to renovate the official residence. In addition, I have been given four vehicles, out of which two are for my use and the other two are for the security officers. If they (Government) want to, I don't mind them retaking them too. I am not hesitant to travel by bus." Kumaratunga said, and added that she, in 2020, returned seven vehicles provided by the Government, considering the economic situation that prevailed at the time.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media, Sirisena said that he would not mind the Government curtailing any privilege granted to him as a former President. "I anyway don't like it when security officers come after me. It is they who say that it will be a problem for them if they don't come. I am confident that there is no one who would intend to harm me as I have not done anything wrong to anyone. I don't mind security and any other privilege being curtailed."

Sri Lanka currently has five living former Presidents including Kumaratunga (1994-2005), Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005-2015), Sirisena (2015-2019), Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2019-2022), and Ranil Wickremesinghe (2022-2024), and the widow of the slain President Ranasinghe Premadasa, Hema Premadasa. The benefits for them are decided in terms of the provisions of the Presidents Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986.