Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP S.M. Marikkar warned the ruling NPP government on Wednesday that the coal scam cannot be covered up by the resignation of Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody alone, citing a Rs. 8.5 billion loss calculated by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).
“The NPP believes that the coal scam has been solved after the resignation of Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody. However, the SJB will never allow that to happen,” Marikkar told journalists at a media briefing.
The SJB MP set out his case with the following figures:
- The coal importing company was authorised to bring 25 coal ships into Sri Lanka
- Twelve shipments had arrived at the time of the no-confidence motion against Jayakody
- No steps have been taken to collect late fees for those 12 shipments
- Coal on all 12 ships fell below the 5,900 kilocalorie standard
- PUCSL assessed a Rs. 8.5 billion loss from nine of the substandard shipments
- An additional Rs. 40–50 billion will be spent on diesel power generation over the next six months to compensate for the poor-quality coal
Marikkar said the full loss from the scam had not yet been calculated. Five additional emergency shipments are still being monitored by the SJB for quality standards.
“If a loss of even a rupee has been incurred through the coal scam, the Energy Minister should be held responsible. Otherwise, the entire cabinet should be held responsible under collective responsibility,” he added.
Jayakody resigned on April 17 alongside Energy Ministry Secretary Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena, hours after the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on coal procurement and a CID probe began closing on the ministry. The National Audit Office separately confirmed the coal contractor was unregistered at the time of signing. The SJB’s push for cabinet-level accountability sits alongside parallel action by the Auditor General’s Department and the ongoing PCOI hearings.
