“UPFA will win the election”
Deputy Minister of Technology and Research Faizer Mustapha shares his thoughts on development, minority and an expected win:
Q: What are your thoughts on the upcoming elections?
A: I think it is clear that the win is in the hands of the UPFA, which would place Milinda Moragoda as the Mayor of Colombo. This victory would mean an accelerated growth process within the city as the Central Government and the Municipal Council can work together without any disruptions of any sort.
Q: As a Muslim, which the general public considers as the minority, how would you think the minority will support this Government?
A: If you look at the voting pattern earlier, minorities have tilted more towards the UNP. But with President Mahinda Rajapaksa taking over, in one of the first statements he made after defeating terrorism he said that there were no minorities in the country. There are only two sets of people; people who love the country and the people who don’t. That is his mindset. In action also, we have seen that he has allocated more money for the development of the north and east than other parts of the country after defeating terrorism.
Furthermore, the minorities should be part of the inclusive process by strengthening the Government. I come from Akurana, where 65% of the population is Muslim. The UPFA has never won a local body in that area before. However, because of the dynamic leadership of the President, people in the area for the first time elected a UPFA local body. So you can see that there is a shift in the thinking of minority in the country because of the vision of the President.
I, being of the minority, can see that the thinking pattern of the minority has changed in this country.
Q: There are allegations that the Government is beautifying the city while getting rid of the poorer population. What are your comments?
A: If you see Colombo City and the poverty, I would not have seen such poverty in my village. You see 20-30 people sharing a 5×5 house, you see 100-200 people sharing a public toilet, of which we should be ashamed.
I think this Government is ready to give political leadership to the poverty-stricken people within the Colombo Municipality. That is why the Government has brought a proposal of building 35,000 houses within the next three years. You see people shouting saying that the shanties will be removed and various things, but the President has very clearly stated that he will not demolish their houses until they can be given better accommodation, because no Government could allow the people to suffer the way they are suffering. These people do not have basic water and sanitation facilities.
The Government thinking is to give them these facilities but the opposition is twisting the words and using them to frighten the people and turn the vote towards it. Whether the UPFA wins this election or not, the Government policy will continue.
Q: Wouldn’t these allegations hinder your party win in any way?
A: We are in the process of uplifting the masses in Colombo. In politics the opposition has to say something. So they will say anything. People today have however moved away from traditional politics – people are more intelligent, educated and are more politically-savvy. They don’t listen to people at the election platform say certain things. This time we are confident that we are capable of winning the Colombo Municipal Council election.
Q: What are your thoughts on Milinda Moragoda as Mayor?
A: Milinda Moragoda is a person who practices gentlemanly politics in the country and this is exactly why the President nominated him. He was my Minister before when we were serving at the Ministry of Tourism, so I believe that I know his mindset more than others. I believe that he is the ideal person to transform Colombo into one of the best cities in Asia.
I think people are willing to give the UPFA the Municipal Council under the leadership of Milinda Moragoda. He has published his vision plan, which I think is very attractive to the masses. He believes that he can transform Colombo. As you can see, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has brought about a major transformation in Colombo from a dirty city and converted it to a garden city which we never had. Even from a tourism angle, Sri Lanka is a very green and eco friendly city.
Q: If anyone is undecided about their vote, why would you say the UPFA should be supported?
A:I believe you must give the governing party to rule the Colombo Municipal, in order to give way for more transformation. The Defence Secretary together with Moragoda as Mayor could do a lot for Colombo. I think the people of Colombo owe it to themselves to give the UPFA a chance to make the transformation.
I do not think the UNP is capable of bringing about the transformation. On the platform they say various things, like we are cutting down ancient trees, but if it’s between saving a tree and saving human lives due to harm that can occur if not, cutting a tree is reasonable. The UDA is not stupid to cut a tree that has existed for 60 years unless there is grave danger. Everything should be thought of rationally and people should not just say things for the sake of saying them on the platform.
Q: People say Moragoda is just a big talker; how would you contradict it?
A: Milinda and I handled tourism at the worst time ever. Bombs were going off in the airport and in Colombo and I think we owe it to him for bringing the sector to where it was. He managed to sustain it even with 400,000 tourists. Handling tourism now is a different scenario. You must judge him on his past record.
I feel that he has proven, from the Ministry he has held and the way he has conducted himself, that he can truly do something. He is a person who can speak at any forum, who can get international benefits to the city of Colombo. What I would say is that people should judge a manifesto or a man’s personal credibility by his past track record. Moragoda’s record proves that he is an honourable and capable man and that Colombo should give him a chance to give leadership.
Q: Your thoughts on Colombo development?
A: If you take the infrastructure development taking place and the economic opportunity we have been given, I think the growth is evident.
When an economy develops, the commercial hub takes precedence. I am not talking about handouts or vocational training. Colombo is starting to become a very strong business hub and with that a lot of employment opportunities will be created. I am against this handout-type of upliftment. People in this country have free education and equal opportunities.
What happened before was people didn’t have opportunities. What the Government has done is create opportunity. Earlier the man from the village had no place; today take SriLankan Airlines – how many girls are taken from the outstations? The Government has created this environment.
This Government believes that woman from the village should be given equal opportunity as a woman from Colombo when you go for an interview. Take cricket; at one point, the team was filled with Royalists and Thomians. Today you gradually see the man from the village getting an opportunity through talent.
This Government encourages true talent and there is no discrimination. Colombo will be the first beneficiary of this economic growth, because everyone who studies in the village, once they have a degree or acquired a certain skill, then they can get a job from Colombo.
