Mr. Hulugalla criticised the response from the public 'despite best efforts'

The fund only received Rs. 700 million “despite best efforts of the president and the defence secretary,” said Luxman Hulugalle, the Director General of Media Centre for National Security (MCNS).

He made the remarks at a function in Kandy, attended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, to hand over 25 houses to service personnel.

“The beneficiaries were the war heroes who were killed in combat and become disabled. Also several war heroes currently in service were among the beneficiaries,” the Ministry of Defence said in its website.

Corruption charges

It is the first public event the president attended after persuading Minister Wimal Weerawansa to end the ‘fast’ in front of the UN compound in Colombo but the president did not speak at the event.

We cannot provide houses to every service personnel with this money Lakshman Hulugalla

“We cannot provide houses to every service personnel with this money,” Mr. Hulugalle said the gathering.

He also criticised those “through media and using special privileges” to question the purpose and alleged corruption in the Fund.

Soldiers, disabled soldiers and family members of the soldiers killed in action took part in the event.

The Api Wenuwen Api Fund (Be Together for All) is established by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka “to build 50,000 houses” for the service personnel.

Sri Lankans around the worldwide have contributed to the Fund.