Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has criticised the reported Treasury fund fraud, saying the incident appeared to be the result of basic negligence rather than a sophisticated cyberattack.
Speaking on the matter, he said standard financial controls seemed to have been ignored, noting that even ordinary transactions are usually verified before large sums are transferred. He questioned why a small test payment had not been made first to confirm the destination account before millions were sent.
Harsha also said payment instructions and bank account details should have been checked against the original contract, arguing that such safeguards are common practice.
He said the issue could not simply be dismissed as money “going missing,” stressing that public funds had been lost and responsibility must be taken by the relevant authorities.
The MP added that the matter should be brought before Parliament, noting that oversight of public finances is a constitutional responsibility. He said the Committee on Public Finance is expected to examine the incident further. (Newswire)