Would vehicle permits for professionals get revoked under an NPP government?

Update: 2024-09-06 12:33 GMT

Policies and manifestos have been a key talking point in the build up to the presidential election 2024. Below is an investigation we carried out to determine the accuracy of a post circulating on social media platforms stating that the National People’s Power will revoke the license to import vehicles duty-free for doctors and university professors.

Social Media Posts

Facebook | Archived Link

The same news was shared on certain websites as well.

Archived Link

Claim 2:

A statement made by Mr. Sunil Handunneththi under the same theme has been published on the official Facebook page of Sirasa News.

“Doctors have taken the license more than the MPs. Under an NPP government, the vehicle licenses of not only MPs but also doctors and government executives will be canceled”.

Facebook | Archived Link

Fact Check:

We checked whether the party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had made such a statement on a political platform, in any other meeting, or in any other program. Also, such news was not published in mainstream media. As indicated in the above website, it was also not possible to see any news or report stating that Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake was requested to immediately cancel the licenses of doctors, university professors, and other claimants and collect taxes properly. Although it was stated in the article that the National People’s Power will completely abolish this Duty Concession Permit scheme through the first budget that will be presented after the victory, such a statement was not published in any other media report.

A fact that was not stated in the Policy Statement.

However, such a statement was not mentioned in the presidential policy statement 2024 issued by the National People’s Power. It only stated that the duty-free vehicle permit system for the MPs would be removed. It is mentioned on page 194 of the policy statement.

The statement by Handunneththi on TV programs

On the ‘Satana’ TV program, which aired on August 27th, Mr Handunneththi was questioned about this circulated statement. On this occasion, Mr Handunneththi said that some people are trying to create fear in society by circulating fake news, and what NPP has mandated is to remove the opportunity for politicians to get vehicles duty-free. You can watch that video here.

Speaking in this regard at a program on ‘Hari TV’, Mr. Sunil Handunneththi stated that the duty-free vehicle license system of the President, Ministers, and MPs should be revoked as politicians are voluntary workers and that this is not related to government officials and doctors.

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Furthermore, the circulated post was claimed to be fake on Mr Sunil Handunneththi's official Facebook page.

Facebook | Archived Link

NPP Media

The NPP media division also stated that the existing provision for doctors and government officials to get vehicles duty-free will not be revoked under any circumstances and is not included in the policy statement either.

Also, due to doctors' deprivation of privileges, there has been a brain drain, as most of them have left the country. The NPP media department stated that attention has been paid to raising their standard of living and stopping the brain drain.

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Conclusion

Our investigation shows that the viral claims implying that National People’s Power has decided to cancel the vehicle duty permits of Doctors and University professors under its government are false. The NPP policy statement and leadership reiterate that the party mandates revoking the vehicle duty permit only from MPs and that it is not related to doctors or university professors.

Claim : NPP to Stop Give Duty Free Vehicle Permits to Doctors,Executive Officers !!

Claimed By : Social Media Users

Fact Check : -

Would vehicle permits for professionals get revoked under an NPP government?

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