C. A. S. Marikkar

C.A.S. Marikkar was a Sri Lankan politician of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party who served as Minister for Post, Broadcasting and Communication from 1956 until 1960 in the cabinets of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and Wijeyananda Dahanayake.[1] He was the first Muslim minister from the SLFP, but didn't enjoy much support within the party.[2] During his term Marikkar aimed to set up a Sri Lankan telephone parts factory with Japanese help to provide cheaper telecommunications service.[3]

Marikkar was a skilled orator who often worked the crowds before public appearances of party chief Bandaranaike.[4] He enjoyed publicity and in 1959 rode to a party convention on the back of an elephant, creating a diversion from the criticism of the Bandaranaike government.[5]

Marikkar was found guilty of bribery on two counts[4] and was one of the first sitting government ministers in Sri Lanka convicted for bribery.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Mohan, Vasundhara (1987). Identity Crisis of Sri Lankan Muslims. Mittal Publications. p. 52.
  2. ↑ De Silva, K. M. (1986). Managing ethnic tensions in multi-ethnic societies: Sri Lanka, 1880-1985. University Press of America. p. 229. ISBN 9780819153982.
  3. ↑ Eastern World 11. Foreign Correspondents Limited. 1957.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Warnakulasuriya, Hemantha (September 10, 2012). "Marikkar the Pundit". The Island.
  5. ↑ Mahindapala, H. L. D. (March 23, 2013). "Bandaranaike — the Great Sinhala-Buddhist Liberal". LankaWeb.
  6. ↑ "Kleptocracy in Asian Governments". Ceylon Today. October 15, 2014.