Harsha faults lack of basic controls in $ 2.5 m Treasury breach

Monday, 27 April 2026 00:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Seeks Parliamentary probe
Says lapse reflects “basic negligence” rather than sophisticated cyber attack

Opposition MP

Dr. Harsha de Silva

Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has criticised the reported $ 2.5 million Treasury fund breach, saying the incident appears to reflect basic negligence rather than a sophisticated cyber attack.

Commenting on the issue, he said standard financial controls do not appear to have been followed, noting that even routine transactions are typically verified before large transfers are executed. He questioned why a small test payment had not been made to confirm the destination account before remitting the full amount.

Dr. de Silva also said payment instructions and bank account details should have been checked against the original contract, arguing that such safeguards are standard practice in financial operations.

He said the matter could not be dismissed as money “going missing,” stressing that public funds had been lost and that responsibility must be established.

The MP added that the issue should be taken up in Parliament, noting that oversight of public finances is a constitutional function. He said the Committee on Public Finance is expected to examine the incident further.