Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran, PC was the ONLY MP that represented the opposition at Monday's (11) meeting at the President's Office to discuss the IMF-supported program for the country.

Following the discussion convened by the President regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, M. A. Sumanthiran, PC voiced significant concerns regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the IMF program's implementation. 

Notably, Sumanthiran was the sole opposition member present at the meeting, which included high-ranking government officials such as the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the House, Two State Ministers of Finance, Governor of the Central Bank, and Secretary to the Treasury.

Sumanthiran emphasized the absence of published technical assistance reports from the IMF, which serve as the analytical basis for the recommendations made by the organization. 

He questioned the rationale behind certain revenue-raising measures, such as the decision to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 18%, instead of raising the withholding tax rate, which would have had a more immediate impact on revenue generation. 

Furthermore, Sumanthiran highlighted the government's failure to address 15 prior action items identified in the IMF program, which were supposed to be completed by February 2024. In response, the government cited discussions with the IMF that resulted in time extensions for these actions, he told reporters outside the President's Office.

Of particular concern to Sumanthiran was the inability of opposition members to access the technical assistance reports provided by the IMF to the government. However, following his inquiry, both the President and Prime Minister agreed to provide these reports upon request to opposition party leaders, allowing for a more informed assessment of the program's recommendations.

Sumanthiran reiterated his stance that without adequate transparency and consideration for the impact on the poor and vulnerable segments of society, the opposition cannot support the IMF program. 

President Ranil Wickramasinghe over the weekend initiated discussions to facilitate the leaders in the opposition for a deliberation on the proposals put forth by the IMF. 

Invitations were extended to prominent opposition figures including Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and S. Sridharan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance, with an open invitation for additional participants to acconmany them.

The President's Media Division said that the President Wickremesinghe had underscored the critical importance of successfully advancing the IMF program for the country’s reconstruction. To this end, he emphasizes the necessity of collective accountability from all parties involved.

However, some notable absences from the discussion include the Samagi Janabalawega, whose official stance is non-participation, as communicated to the President's office. 

Similarly, the Jathika Jana Balavegaya has declined participation, as articulated by MP Vijitha Herath.

While certain parties such as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party await formal invitations, others like the Tamil National People's Front lament the lack of invitation altogether.

The Ilangai Tamil Arasu Katchchi presented a divided stance, with S. Sridharan opting out of participation while MP M.A. Sumanthiran, intend to engage in the discourse.

Expressing a nuanced perspective, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem acknowledges the significance of the President's initiative but underscores the importance of timely invitations to such discussions.