Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised concerns over the government’s inconsistency in promoting solar power, despite earlier pledges to prioritise renewable energy.

Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa said that although the government, in its policy statement (page 165), proposed to add 2000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid, recent decisions taken by the administration contradict this commitment.

Highlighting the importance of solar energy as a key player in renewable and environmentally-friendly power generation, the Opposition Leader questioned why the government’s actions have not aligned with its stated policies.

He further inquired about the number of existing coal and diesel power plants in the country, including those not owned by the government, and requested data on the cost of generating one unit of electricity using diesel, coal, hydro, and solar sources. He also asked for a comparison with the cost of purchasing a unit of power from private power plants.

Premadasa sought clarification on the megawatt contributions made to the national grid through various types of power plants and the projected solar power generation under the CEB’s long-term generation plan. He emphasised the need to disclose the total installed solar power capacity in the country, including ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects, along with the unit rates paid for these contributions.

The Opposition Leader also questioned how many tenders had been issued for ground-mounted solar power projects and how many had received approval.

Citing a circular issued on March 17, 2025, Premadasa claimed that the current government had imposed limits on solar power systems, which he described as a setback to solar energy production and a betrayal of public trust. (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa chaired a key discussion today (Feb. 5) with opposition party leaders to discuss coordinating future political activities and parliamentary affairs.

During the meeting Premadasa stressed on the need for a united opposition to strengthen Parliament, support beneficial government initiatives, and oppose harmful policies.

The primary objective of the meeting was to reach a consensus on collective action both inside and outside Parliament.

The Opposition Leader also highlighted the importance of parliamentary committees and agreed to take future action accordingly.

This meeting follows a special discussion held on January 29th between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and opposition party leaders.

Among those in attendance were opposition party leaders Gayantha Karunatilleka, J.C. Alawathuwala, Ajith P. Perera, Rishad Bathiudeen, Namal Rajapaksa, Dilith Jayaweera, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ravi Karunanayake, Jeevan Thondaman, Sivagnanam Shritharan, P. Sathiyalingam, A. Adaikkalanathan, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Rauff Hakeem, Nizam Kariapper, V. Radhakrishnan, Anuradha Jayaratne, D.V. Chanaka, Kader Masthan, and others. (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa criticized the government, accusing it of disregarding the people’s mandate and following the path laid out by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Speaking to the media in Colombo, Premadasa said that despite promises of a new IMF-backed plan to benefit the public, the government has become subservient to the IMF’s directives, failing to deliver tangible relief to citizens.

Pointing out the discrepancies between election campaign promises and government action, Premadasa said that promises of reducing electricity prices and fuel prices remain unfulfilled.

He stressed that while his party supports working within the IMF framework, they are committed to reforming tax structures to reduce the burden on the public.

The Opposition Leader also noted that there was a lack of transparency and criticised the government’s inability to implement meaningful reforms. (Newswire)

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Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh was charged with two counts under the Parliament Act in connection with a lying scandal involving a former lawmaker.

Singh was charged Tuesday in a Singapore court for “willfully making false answers to material questions” during an examination by the Committee of Privileges, according to a statement from the police and Attorney-General’s Chambers. Singh, who heads the opposition Workers’ Party, pleaded not guilty.

The Workers’ Party made historic gains in the last election in 2020 when it won a record ten seats and secured two group representation constituencies. It had cast itself as a check on the ruling People’s Action Party that has been in power since independence in 1965.

In 2022, a parliamentary committee stacked with ruling party officials found that Singh “told untruths” during his testimony into the investigation of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who allegedly lied in parliament about a sexual assault case. Parliament approved a motion to refer Singh to the prosecutor for possible criminal charges.

The same year, lawmakers unanimously agreed to raise the threshold to disqualify members of parliament for five years if they are fined at least S$10,000 in a criminal case, from S$2,000 previously.

Prosecutors plan to ask the court to impose a fine if Singh is convicted. The offenses are punishable with a fine of up to S$7,000 ($5,224) and a jail term of as long as three years. Another Workers’ Party lawmaker was given a police advisory and wasn’t charged.

“It is quite clear, Mr Singh is not at significant risk of losing his seat or his eligibility to contest in a parliamentary election,” said Eugene Tan, a law professor at Singapore Management University.

The charges come as the city-state prepares for a meticulously planned political succession this year ahead of a general election that are due to be held by November of 2025. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he will hand over power to his deputy Lawrence Wong before the vote.

“Until the legal process comes to a complete close, I will continue with all my Parliamentary duties,” Singh wrote in a Facebook post. “When I first entered politics some years ago now, I was under no illusion as to the challenges that lay ahead in building a more balanced and democratic political system in Singapore.”

Singh’s case adds to the number of controversies that has hit the city-state over the last year. Earlier this year, former Transport Minister S. Iswaran resigned after being charged with corruption in the biggest political scandal in almost four decades. Iswaran, who’s out on bail, rejected the 27 charges against him, including allegedly obtaining tickets to musicals and soccer matches in the U.K.

In July, a Workers’ Party lawmaker resigned following an affair with a colleague just days after two ruling party members of parliament stepped down over a similar inappropriate relationship. (Time)

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