Mahendran: Confusion confounded

Much has been written about Mr. Arjuna Mahendran’s Singapore citizenship since early 2015 when he was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). Objections were raised to a ‘foreigner’ being appointed head of the CBSL and signing our currency notes. It was reported that Mr. Mahendran had given up his Singapore citizenship and all appointments held when/after he accepted the CBSL job. It was also reported that he was given dual citizenship by the Sri Lanka government very soon after his appointment, and, presumably, automatically renounced his Singapore citizenship, as Singapore does not recognise dual citizenship with any other country. But granting of dual citizenship was suspended from end-2011 till about April 2015.

Now it is reported that senior counsel for Mr. Mahendran, at the ongoing ‘Bond Scam’ inquiry, has made a special statement requesting that Mr. Mahendran should be handled with kid gloves as he is a ‘Singaporean’.

What was his citizenship during the 18 months or so that he was Governor of the CBS? If a Singapore citizen, did he have a Residence Visa or a Work Permit? Did he renounce his Singapore citizenship and revert to Sri Lankan Citizenship, and if so, when? Did he later renounce his Sri Lankan citizenship and re-take Singapore citizenship for his counsel to now claim that he is Singaporean?

‘Curiouser and curiouser’ as Alice has reportedly said!