Extremist organizations have created suspicion among the Muslim countries which have been Sri Lanka’s allies during the recent past, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka says. He has made this observation in an interview with a local newspaper.

He has also said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has had traditional respect from Muslim countries for his role as the long standing leader of Sri Lanka's Palestine Solidarity Committee. But his apparent inability or unwillingness to curb extremist forces is a big error, Dr. Jayatilleka had said.

In the opinion of Dr. Jayatilleka the SLFP used to have a considerable support base among Muslims. This has now disappeared, he said. There was a tendency where political parties representing minority communities agreeing upon a common plan of action. Extremist groups are responsible for the prevailing conditions which made these parties to come to such an agreement.

If parties like TNA and SLMC will regain undue influence in the country’s politics, extremist organizations will also have to be blamed, Dr. Jayatilleka has said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jayatilleka has expressed his support for a reformed Executive Presidency. He says that there can be instances where political parties with have intentions which can be contrary to national interests reach ‘kingmaker’ status in a parliamentary system. An Executive President with necessary curbs on his or her powers will be a useful person to counter it, he had said. He had brought forward the example of President Chandrika Kumaratunge during the UNP regime of 2001-2004.