Thursday Apr 23, 2026
Thursday Apr 23, 2026
Thursday, 23 April 2026 05:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SJB MP S.M. Marikkar gestures during the media briefing yesterday
Main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar yesterday warned the ruling National People's Power (NPP) Party the coal scam cannot be covered up by the mere resignation of the Energy Minister.
“The NPP believes that the coal scam has been solved after the resignation of Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody. However, the Samagi People's Power Party will never allow that to happen,” Marikkar told journalists.
He recalled that the coal importing company was given permission to import 25 coal ships. The SJB MP said at the time of the no-confidence motion against former Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, 12 coal ships had arrived. The Government has not yet taken any steps to collect late fees for those 12 ships. The coal standard of all those ships is less than 5900 kilocalories. Therefore, the coal scam cannot be covered up.
He also said the loss caused by the coal scam has not yet been precisely calculated. The Public Utilities Commission had stated that the loss caused by the import of 9 substandard coal ships was Rs. 8.5 billion. Due to the use of substandard coal, it has not been possible to generate the required amount of electricity. Therefore, the amount spent on purchasing electricity from diesel power plants has not yet been calculated. However, it is necessary to spend between Rs. 40 and 50 billion on diesel for 6 months to purchase electricity.
“If a loss of even a rupee has been incurred through the coal scam, the Energy Minister should be held responsible. Otherwise, the entire cabinet should be held responsible under collective responsibility,” Marikkar said.
He said it was the SJB which brought the no-confidence motion against Kumara Jayakody as well as first to expose the coal scam to the country and inform the public.
“The Government should know that the SJB is also alert to the quality of the coal arriving from 5 ships via emergency purchases. The SJB will constantly investigate this matter. If substandard coal arrives from those ships, the SJB will take steps to reveal it to the country,” Marikkar added.
