JAKARTA - Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Singapore on Thursday from the Maldives, having left his country the day before.
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a media statement shortly after 8pm that President Rajapaksa had entered Singapore on a 'private visit'.
"He did not ask for asylum and neither was he granted asylum. Singapore generally does not grant asylum requests," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, citing CNA July 14.
In a separate statement, Singapore Police confirmed that Rajapaksa was "in Singapore for a personal visit".
"He used a social visit card," said the police.
"Police ask the public, Singaporeans, residents, work permit holders and social visitors, to comply with our local laws. Action will be taken against anyone participating in illegal public gatherings."
It is known that Sri Lankans can travel to Singapore without a visa for trips shorter than 30 days.
A crowd of Sri Lankans, who also include naturalized Singaporeans, of about 20 people waited outside the arrival gates, as the arrival time of flight SV788, Saudia Airlines was reported to be on Rajapaksa, drew closer.
According to the flight schedule board at the airport, the flight landed at 7:17 p.m. local time, delayed from the 18:48 schedule due to several delays.
According to passengers from flight SV788 to CNA, they were dropped off at Terminal 2 and then transferred to the Skytrain to Terminal 3. Saudia, Saudi Arabia's national airline, usually operates in Terminal 3.
Earlier media reports said he was due to land in Singapore on Thursday morning on a Singapore Airlines flight, but one Sri Lankan media, citing a source from the Maldives, later reported that Rajapaksa and his wife did not board the flight due to security concerns".
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