Sri Lankan tycoon Kulappuarachchige Don Dhammika Perera, one of the bankrupt country’s richest men, will replace former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa as a lawmaker to help steer the nation out of its worst economic crisis.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa -- Basil’s older brother -- made a “special request” to appoint Perera to parliament, party General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said by phone Friday. Perera is founder and chairman of Vallibel One Plc, whose shares have surged 34% over the past three days compared with a 3.5% gain in the broader index.