00:00During the MSJ's virtual media conference on Sunday, the party's political leader David
00:05Abdullah offered his take on statements Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley gave to the Sunday
00:10Express newspaper that the government was facing the threat of legal action from the
00:15judiciary with respect to the 117th report of the Salaries Review Commission, the SRC.
00:22The 120th report was only received a week or two ago and considered by the cabinet just
00:31last week.
00:32So, there's no legal threat with respect to the 120th report and therefore the cabinet
00:38did not have to accept the 120th report, there would be no legal threat whatsoever.
00:45So, that is a total red herring and we must not be shifted in terms of our focus.
00:53In other words, income inequality has been worsened as a result of the decision by the
00:59cabinet.
01:00The Prime Minister announced on Thursday that he and his cabinet had decided to accept the
01:04salary increase recommendations of the SRC's 120th report that will benefit some office
01:10holders such as the President, the Prime Minister, members of cabinet, the opposition
01:15leader, members of parliament and judges, including the Chief Justice.
01:20Mr Abdullah focused on the Prime Minister and the cabinet.
01:24So Prime Minister, nobody else in Sri Lanka works hard, the only people who work hard
01:31in this country are you and your 20-odd ministers of government, you are the only ones who work
01:38hard.
01:39Is that right?
01:40Is that true?
01:41So, all of the public servants who work in the various ministries who have to see about
01:51the implementation of decisions made by cabinet, they don't work hard, they don't deserve a
01:58decent wage increase.
02:00Mr Abdullah suggested the matter should be the subject of a debate in parliament but
02:04not restricted to any party, allegiances or cabinet responsibility in reference to
02:10a parliamentary term.
02:11Let the whips remove their whips, so let every member of parliament speak as an individual
02:18and not as a member of the party or as a member of cabinet or any such thing.
02:24Let everybody speak and take a position in their own conscience about this.
02:29On Thursday, the Prime Minister said, quote, the law is very clear, once the report is
02:34laid in the parliament, there is no requirement for any debate of it, end quote.
02:40Jule Brown, TV6 News.
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