Singapore denies asylum to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, says Sri Lanka President allowed entry on private visit

New Delhi: Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday was allowed to enter Singapore on a private visit and has not been granted asylum, the city-state said, after the leader arrived from the Maldives.

A Saudi flight which Rajapakasa on board, arrived in Singapore from the Maldives on Thursday evening.

"It is confirmed that Mr. Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit," news agency AFP mentioned Singapore's foreign ministry saying in a statement.

"He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum," the statement added.

Rajapaksa, the 73-year-old politician, fled from Sri Lanka to the Maldives late on Tuesday night, amidst massive protests in his country and people's mounting demand for his resignation. He had promised to resign on 13 July, but he did not keep his words and instead appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting President hours after he escaped from his "bankrupt" country.

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Saudi Airline flight SV 788 that took President Rajapaksa from Male landed at the Singapore Changi International Airport shortly after 7 pm (local time). He was earlier scheduled to leave for Singapore on Wednesday night but his travel was cancelled last might due to security reasons.

As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and it is also being said that he wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that he has not received the resignation letter from President Rajapaksa yet.

It is worth mentioning that Rajapaksa's escape from Sri Lanka to Male was negotiated by the Maldivian Majlis Parliament Speaker and former president Mohamed Nasheed.

With population of 22 million, Sri Lanka has been reeling under an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.

With inputs from agencies

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