(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Parliament today engaged in a heated discussion over the Malabe South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine or SAITM. The debate commenced following views expressed by JVP Parliamentarian Bimal Ratnayake.
MP Ratnayake charged that Minister of Higher Education Lakshman Kiriella is working according to a single opinion. He said the Sri Lanka Medical Council is not in favour of SAITM adding the faculty heads of all 8 medical faculties are opposed to SAITM.
The MP added a request has been made for the enrollment of students to SAITM to be brought to a halt. Denying the allegation, Minister Lakshman Kiriella said Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself provided a Rs.600 million loan to establish the institute that was initiated during the previous UPFA government.
Minister Kiriella then inquired as to whether the actions that took place during the institute’s establishment were legal and raised a question if the House wanted SAITM to be shut down.