‘It’s no point going in front of the mob and trying to get votes. We have to find what is right for this country, and we must give leadership to the country.’
With new faces in Sri Lanka’s Parliament, there was a slew of social media posts sharing the maiden speeches made by the newest MP’s. Despite some of the speeches being the stereotypical utterings expected of elected representatives, one speech in particular stood out.
M.U.M. Ali Sabry, the Minister of Justice who went from high-profile practicing lawyer to the Cabinet virtually overnight was being closely watched from all sides from the moment he took oaths. Having to walk a thin line, his first speech was always going to set the tone for the times to come – and many believed he delivered it in style.
“His speech was measured, thought out and on point. He brought a level of maturity not seen for a long time. Eventhough a large part of his speech dwelled on the Constitution and a reflection its applicability, the last two minutes showed the familiar determination to ‘fix what’s wrong’ that has become associated with him”. One senior lawyer wrote in Facebook.
‘Leaders need to find out for themselves what is right for this country and lead them to safety, dignity and the integrity of this nation. That’s how we can build this country. Its no point going in front of the mob and trying to get votes, whether this side or the other side. We have to find what is right for this country, and we must give leadership to the country.’
‘He (the President of Sri Lanka)..wants to create a country where all citizens of this country will feel safe, secure and dignified. So I invite everyone, let us join hands, forget about the past, move on and build a Sri Lanka that is inclusive. That is called ‘Inclusive nationalism’. We don’t want any sort of division, we want unity. That’s how we can build this country, that’s how we can progress and that’s how we can make the cake for all of us to eat.’ said Minister Ali Sabry in his maiden speech.