President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the government will not proceed with the passage of the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill and the Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill in Parliament without first holding consultations with the public and relevant stakeholders.
Addressing the National Trade Union Conference on Saturday (7), the President said the decision was reached during a discussion held earlier in the morning.
He said the government would engage with concerned parties, including civil society organisations that have expressed reservations about the proposed legislation, to reach a broad consensus before proceeding with the Bills.
The President also stressed that his administration had no intention of using legislation to remain in power.
“We are not a government that stays in power through laws and regulations,” he said.
Dissanayake said his government would respect the democratic will of the people and would be prepared to leave office if voters decided to remove it through an election.
The announcement comes amid opposition to the proposed laws from trade unions, civil society organisations, legal professionals and opposition political parties over concerns about their potential impact on fundamental rights and civil liberties.
Protests were also held in Colombo on Friday (6), demanding the withdrawal of the proposed legislation.
The President’s latest statement indicates that the government will pursue further public consultations before seeking parliamentary approval for the two Bills. (Newswire)