<ul> <li><strong>Ministers and MPs had not received pay hikes for the last fifteen years and that they had not purchased new vehicles as due</strong></li> </ul> <p><strong>By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>While praising SJB MPs Harsha De Silva, Eran Wickremaratne and Kabir Hashim for positively taking IMF proposals, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday some MPs were trying to gain political advantages at the cost of the poor people.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>He told Parliament that some SJB MPs were trying to disrupt the IMF programme and said Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said in Parliament that they would brief the IMF team when they visited Sri Lanka next time about not holding the elections and violation of human rights.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><center><a href="https://www.hi.lk/himag" target="_blank"><img src="https://bmkltsly13vb.compat.objectstorage.ap-singapore-1.oraclecloud.com/cdn.sg.dailymirror.lk/assets/uploads/advr_7fec3b236e.jpg" /></a></p></center> <p><br /> &ldquo;If they are not supporting this IMF programme, it can be accepted. But, if they are trying to disrupt this programme and prevent the poor people from getting some relief, it is sad. They are some MPs like Harsha, Eran and Kabir who positively see this and talk about it progressively thinking of the country,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> The Minister said Ministers and MPs had not received pay hikes for the last fifteen years and that they had not purchased new vehicles as due.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>He said politicians have also made a huge contribution at this critical juncture but people were not aware of this.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said they&nbsp; would brief the IMF team when they visited Sri Lanka next time about not&nbsp; holding the elections and violation of human rights&nbsp;</strong></li> </ul></p>