The former Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Professor Rohan Samarajeeva, stated that there is no threat to national security resulting from the privatization of Sri Lanka Telecom.
He further expressed that the report published by the National Security Sectoral Oversight Committee is based on speculation.
Professor Rohan Samarajeeva made these remarks while participating in the ‘101 Katha’ program produced by the Presidential Media Division.
He emphasized that the report was prepared without conducting an investigation by individuals with expert knowledge, which contradicts the principles of the sectoral committee.
Regarding this matter, Prof. Rohan Samarajeeva provided additional comments, stating, “Even during times of war, there were four mobile phone companies and three fixed phone companies in the country. Dialog was the only company with a Sri Lankan citizen as its chief executive officer. Furthermore, it was 100 percent owned by Malaysia.”
“Some individuals repeatedly mention national security as if it were a mantra, using it as a slogan. However, even when the government controlled the telecommunications sector, there was still a perceived threat to national security,” he added.
Prof. Rohan Samarajeeva criticized the practice of appointing comrades and relatives of politicians to government institutions, which often leads to malpractice. He emphasized that sectoral committees should consist of knowledgeable individuals. He highlighted that the current report was formulated based solely on thoughts and ideas, without obtaining data and support from experts. He suggested the need to learn from the approaches taken by other countries.
– Presidential Media Unit