Singapore has given former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa permission to stay in the island nation for an additional 14 days. A short-term visit pass given to Rajapaksa when he arrived on a private visit two weeks ago has been extended, according to two different sources in Singapore and Colombo who both had knowledge of the situation. The Singaporean government claimed he was there on a private visit and had not received asylum. “It is my belief he may eventually consider returning to Sri Lanka but there is no definite political or other stance on this,” Sri Lankan government spokesperson Bandula Gunwardena said on Tuesday. Rajapaksa left the nation and resigned, and six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected president after winning a parliamentary vote.
