SLMC suspends two dissident deputy ministers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 15 December 2007, 17:27 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Saturday decided to suspend the membership of Messrs K.Faiz and S.Nijamudeen, both deputy ministers in the the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, for voting in support of the budget, violating the party decision. The politburo of the SLMC met Saturday morning and took this decision, SLMC general secretary Hassan Ali said.

SLMC parliamentarians Rauff Hakeem, Hassan Ali, Segu Basher Dawood, and Faisal Cassim voted against the budget when it was put to vote on Friday.

Mr.Rauff Hakeem resigned his minister post and other three their deputy minister post.

However, K.Faiz and S.Nijamudeen did not resign their ministerial posts and voted with the government, sources said.