The Government on Tuesday (2) denied allegations leveled at it by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa over a decision to appoint a committee to prepare a new national flag.  

Issuing a statement Minister Joseph Michael Perera asserted that a committee has been appointed to prepare an officially accepted decoration flag, but not prepare a new national flag.  

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal made by the Ministry of Home Affairs to appoint the committee to prepare the decorative flag that can be used at festivals by the government as well as the general public, two weeks ago.

The Ministry has also instructed the Legal Department to formulate necessary legal framework to make the existing set of regulations as Laws of the country in order to prevent the misuse and dishonouring of the National Flag.

“It has been observed that the National Flag of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is being used in contrary to the codes of regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in the year 1986 and national flags not prepared in accordance with the standards proclaimed by the Sri Lanka Standards Institutions are being introduced to the market,” a statement issued by the Ministry said.