UPDATE (15 Jul, 10.25am): Reuters reported that former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa tendered his resignation hours after arriving in Singapore, citing a statement from a spokesperson for the parliamentary speaker.
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After news spread that the president of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa was fleeing to Singapore, residents of our island nation took a keen interest.
Updates were scarce for a while but finally, reports came in that his flight has touched down at Changi Airport this evening (14 Jul).
While authorities have granted him entry, it’s apparently only on a social visit pass.
On Thursday (14 Jul), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed that they have granted Mr Rajapaksa entry to Singapore.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the leader arrived on board a Saudia flight which landed at Changi Airport at around 7.17pm.
He had earlier missed a Singapore Airlines flight due to alleged security concerns. Rumours then circulated that he was awaiting a private jet but that appears to have fallen through.
MFA clarified that Mr Rajapaksa has neither sought asylum, nor has Singapore granted it to him. The ministry further explained that Singapore generally doesn’t concede to requests for asylum.
Mr Rajapaksa is apparently here on a social visit pass, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported, citing a police statement.
Police also told the media that Mr Rajapaksa is here “on a private visit”, noted CNA.
The general public is thus advised not to participate in illegal public assemblies.
The authorities will not hesitate to take action against those who flout the laws.
Hours after his arrival in Singapore, the BBC reported that Mr Rajapaksa had officially resigned from his post.
After receiving the letter via email, the parliamentary speaker apparently claimed that he would officially announce his resignation on Friday (15 Jul) after finishing some legal procedures.
Following that, acting president, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, can formally step into his role until parliament elects a new president.
Source: Ranil Wickremesinghe on Facebook
ST noted that the length of Mr Rajapaksa’s stay in Singapore is currently unclear. Sources are also unable to confirm if he intends to travel anywhere else.
Whatever the next development may be, we hope that the situation in Sri Lanka will eventually stabilise, even in Mr Rajapaksa’s absence — if not for the sake of establishing order, at least to ensure public welfare.
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Featured image adapted from Gotabaya Rajapaksa Information Center on Facebook and edwin.11 on Flickr.
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