Wealth of politicians

The revelation of financial and non-financial possessions of various elected representatives has become a huge talking point over the last couple of weeks. The exposure by the media that a few of the Cabinet Ministers in the NPP Government own considerable property and assets has given rise to interesting debates and discussions. 

For ages, the JVP/NPP politicians were driving the narrative that politicians cannot become rich unless they are rogues and cheats. The political movement was so successful in convincing the public that both major political forces in the island were financially dishonest and they were holier-than-thou. It was also evident that the Left-leaning political force was cultivating a sense of anger and fury among commoners towards the rich and wealthy, which is politically quite rewarding in a society like Sri Lanka where people who are affluent and wealthy are despised. Sometimes those who pursue wealth are considered immoral and building up fortune is considered unethical and decadent.

About a decade ago, President Anura Kumara Disanayake, as an Opposition politician, publicly questioned how the parents of SAITM students were having the ability to spend around Rs. 10 million for a medical degree and even expressed doubts whether such money was earned through legal means. Ostensibly, the JVP was associating every well-to-do individual with corruption and fraud while propagating the rich in the country was robbing the wealth of commoners. 

On the other hand, the JVP/NPP politicians have always given the impression that they had very limited means and most of them maintained their lifestyles from the contributions of their well-wishers and supporters. Some of their political leaders like Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage were boasting they did not even have money to build a proper home for themselves. The JVP was formed as a Marxist political party and during its formative stages was highly antagonistic towards individuals with substantial means. Poverty and misery have always been glorified by Leftist political movements in the island to capture political power.

In the backdrop of having proclaimed about their modest means and so-called impoverished backgrounds, today the leaders in the ruling political party have to defend and justify their wealth to their constituents. A politician, irrespective of his political views, should not be intrinsically suspected of ill-gotten wealth and foul play because of his/her wealth. There have been various speculations in the social media as to how Trade and Commerce Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has accumulated a massive amount of wealth. It is said that Samarasinghe comes from a land-owning, rich family in Thambuttegama. The Trade Minister reportedly owns a massive wealth of over Rs. 275 million worth commercial buildings, vehicles, gold, and financial investments.

Even in the past, there were Leftist/Socialist political leaders in Sri Lanka like Philip Gunawardena who came from prosperous and privileged backgrounds. It is highly inappropriate to throw accusations against Samarasinghe and view him with mistrust without credible evidence or proof. Regrettably, the Sri Lankan social order itself is extremely hostile towards pursuit of wealth and the success of others is detested.

Ironically, today the same politicians who vilified individuals of wealth and property are at the receiving end of the animosity, which they nurtured consistently when not in power. To become an economically advanced nation, we need to develop a society which celebrates and admires the financial and entrepreneurial success of individuals. The great Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping once remarked poverty is not socialism and to be rich is glorious.

Corruption is indeed a serious social issue in Sri Lanka. However, the practice of labelling everyone who is having money as corrupt and shady needs to be stopped. Islanders need to move out of the mentality of despising people who are financially successful while appreciating the virtues of entrepreneurial vigour and dynamism.