Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, Udaya Gammanpila, filed a complaint this morning (29) with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), alleging misuse of public funds by government MPs.

The complaint concerns the practice of directing the monthly allowances given to Members of Parliament towards party funds, which are then used for political activities.

Speaking to the media after filing the complaint, Gammanpila claimed that MPs are not allowed to spend their monthly allowances at their own discretion. He alleged that over Rs. 30 million is collected monthly from 159 government MPs and transferred to party funds, calling it a misuse of public money.

“These funds are allocated for telephone bills, fuel, and office maintenance. Diverting them to party funds and using them for political work amounts to misappropriation of public funds,” Gammanpila said.

He further charged that this amounts to large-scale corruption involving all 159 government MPs and the President, bringing the total number implicated to 160. “We came to the Bribery Commission today to demand that the law be enforced against all 160 individuals involved,” he added.