Cabinet Spokesperson Confirms MPs Named in President’s Fund Disbursement; Declines to Comment on Malini Fonseka Grant

Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa today clarified that the names and amounts he announced in Parliament were those of Members of Parliament (MPs) who received funds from the President’s Fund.

At the weekly Cabinet press briefing, journalists questioned Dr. Jayatissa regarding the reported allocation of Rs. 5.5 million (55 lakhs) to veteran actress and former MP Malini Fonseka.

“Do you still maintain that giving Rs. 5.5 million to Sri Lanka’s veteran actress Malini Fonseka was wrong?” one journalist asked.

“I think… I hope I’m not going to talk about that here,” the minister responded.

Pressed further on whether he was being unkind in his remarks, Dr. Jayatissa stated:

“What I mentioned in Parliament were the names of Members of Parliament and ministers who received funds from the President’s Fund. I referred to disbursements totaling Rs. 1,220 million. It was strictly about MPs and ministers.”

He added that although several artists, including actors and actresses, received money from the fund, he did not mention their names during his parliamentary speech.

Malini Fonseka, a beloved and iconic figure in Sri Lankan cinema, passed away in Colombo on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the age of 78.