Responding to criticisms of newly appointed Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian A.H.M. Fowzie being present during President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s throne speech debate in the Parliament on 9 February when the Party had decided to boycott the session, Chief Opposition Whip and Attorney Lakshman Kiriella said that Fowzie was excused by the Party as he took oaths as a MP on that particular day. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Kiriella said that Fowzie had taken oaths as a MP on that particular day and that as it was an important occasion, the Party had excused him.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to why Fowzie was participating in the Parliament session on the particular day when the SJB had decided to boycott the debate on the speech, Kiriella said: “We allowed him to proceed. The date was fixed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, so we excused him and said that he can attend because it was a solemn occasion.”

Fowzie was sworn in as a MP of the ninth Parliament on 9 February before Speaker Abeywardana. After being sworn in, he signed the Member’s roll kept in the presence of the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.

Fowzie has been appointed to fill the vacancy that was created due to the resignation of former SJB MP Mujibur Rahman, the latter who is contesting for the Colombo Mayoral post at the upcoming Local Government poll.