Select Committee to probe MiG deal

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Rajmi Manatunga and Irangika Range

KOTTE: The Government has decided to appoint a Select Committee to probe the procurement of MiG 27 aircraft by the Defence Ministry, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka told Parliament yesterday.

Responding to the question raised by UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera regarding the purchase of MiG 27 aircraft by the Government, the Prime Minister said proper investigations will be conducted by this Committee to reveal the truth.

Perera said the Government has purchased four MiG 27 aircraft which had earlier been rejected by the UNP when they were in power.

The entire transaction is suspicious because the planes have long expired its useful lifespan. But what is more interesting is that this was not an ordinary contract between the buyer and the seller. There was a mysterious third party involved in this transaction as the agent of the seller, he said. The payment for this transaction has been undertaken by the People’s Bank.

The question is who in fact received this monies? Was it the seller or some other party pretending to be the agent of the seller but in fact an agent of the buyer, he asked.

Perera said these are serious questions that need to be investigated and urged the Government to direct COPE to investigate this matter and pending such investigation to direct People’s Bank to stop any further payments until the COPE investigations are finalised.

Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara: Is this matter coming under PERC or COPE?

Perera (UNP): This matter should come under COPE.

Speaker: I will look into this matter.

Wimal Weerawansa (JVP): This issue has been raised several times in Parliament. This matter directly affects the Security Forces. Please draw your attention to appoint a select committee to conduct proper investigations regarding these allegations. Some parties made used the conflict for their benefit.

If the government is not willing to take any action, it would create bad image to the Government and Security Forces too will be demoralised.