Artist Sangeeth Wijesuriya says he was told by a government minister that International Monetary Fund (IMF) regulations would not permit a proposed US$23 million donation to be brought into Sri Lanka following the election victory of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Speaking to Hari TV’s Lahiru Mudalige, Wijesuriya recalled campaigning for Dissanayake during the presidential election and publicly claiming that overseas supporters were ready to financially support Sri Lanka if he came to power. He said he was emotionally moved when early discussions took place with people willing to contribute funds, noting he had previously heard allegations of corruption and commissions linked to past administrations.

According to Wijesuriya, a group of four individuals from countries including Australia and the United Kingdom later expressed readiness to provide around US$23 million — intended not as an investment but as financial assistance for the country. He said they were subsequently informed by a government minister that IMF-related regulations and financial frameworks would not allow the funds to be transferred directly in that manner.

Wijesuriya said Sri Lankans living overseas remain deeply attached to the country and would be willing to contribute financially if a proper mechanism existed. He defended his earlier public comments on overseas support, saying he had spoken honestly based on the information available to him at the time.

The account is Wijesuriya’s own and has not been independently corroborated; no government minister, the Finance Ministry or the Central Bank has confirmed the claim. Sri Lanka’s inflows and external transactions are tightly managed under the conditions of its current IMF-backed programme.

Update — June 16: Deputy Finance Minister denies involvement

Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando rebutted social media claims that he had personally rejected the proposed US$23 million donation citing IMF programme restrictions. Speaking in a televised interview, Fernando said statements attributed to him were “completely incorrect” and denied that he had met Wijesuriya or his associates over the matter or made remarks of the kind circulating online, Newswire reported. He said he had encountered the artist only at past election campaign rallies and had not met him since, and said the situation should be clarified directly with Wijesuriya. The denial leaves the original claim unsupported by any named government official.