“He spends at least seven hours travelling to the North by road, wasting valuable time that could be used to make important decisions. The President would have more time for critical decision-making if he travelled by helicopter,” Karunanayake said while speaking during the debate on the second reading of the budget in Parliament.

He also noted that Sri Lanka had not gained the expected benefits from the President and the government’s decision to forgo perks entitled to MPs.

“The Speaker’s official residence is next to mine, and it is currently closed. What benefit does the country gain from keeping it shut? You may save only a few million by doing so,” he emphasised.