President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has assured the public of a “free and fair” presidential election in 2013 as part of his New Year statement.
Waheed used his address to announce that preparations for the 2013 presidential elections were already underway and that the government intended to take “all necessary measures” to ensure a fair election.
Following political tension in the nation following the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2012, President Waheed said it would be vital in the build up to this year’s election for society to put aside its differences.
“As we prepare for the upcoming elections, I urge the people to strengthen the harmony and unity that have existed in the Maldivian society over the years, and not to allow anyone to disrupt this social harmony,” he said.
“The year 2012 saw major challenges, especially in the political challenges, in the country. It was, however, a year in which steps were taken with patience to maintain the security, safety and harmony of the country and its people,” he said.
The President assured the public that the government intended to improve both the general welfare and security of the people within the capacity of the budget passed by the People’s Majlis on December 27.
“The government will continue to create a safe society with reduced crimes. I call upon the people of the Maldives to put national interest ahead of their political interests,” Waheed added.
President Waheed’s government was brought to power on February 7 last year following a controversial transfer of power later deemed legitimate by a Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI).
However, Dr Waheed’s predecessor, former President Mohamed Nasheed, has questioned the CNI’s findings, alleging that he was forced to resign from office under “duress”.
Concerns about the CNI’s conclusions were also raised last month by former Human Rights Minister Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed after she was dismissed by the present government back in November.
“Stolen democracy”
In his own New Year statement, former President Nasheed claimed that democracy had been “stolen” from the public by individuals looking to “further their narrow political ambitions”.
“We have seen a worrying return of police brutality and state-sanctioned violence and intimidation. With this we saw an increase in violent crimes including the tragic murder of Member of Parliament and Islamic scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali, fatal attacks on a journalist and members of public of whom some are children,” Nasheed alleged.
The former President claimed the country had been reported in the world’s newspapers for “all the wrong reasons” and that the Maldives is no longer the “successful Muslim democracy” it once was.
“Instead, the media has been full of stories about human rights abuses, coup d’etat and the government’s disastrous foreign policy decisions that forced out the largest foreign direct investor in the Maldives,” Nasheed added.
“I hope that this year, we will see a genuinely free and fair election, in which everyone is allowed to compete.”
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Thats a great commitment. But would you stand by this commitment, knowing that the 2 major parties would accuse you of bias, for any action or inaction that you take?
Fact 1 : You will NEVER will the coming election.
Fact 2 : MDP will compete against PPM candidate, right up to the last moment. Who would win? This largely depends on what the prostitute parties do. Whoever who pays them more wins as the prostitutes would undress for them.
Fact 3 : No one, and I mean No one, will work for the benefit of the Nation. The winner would have to satisfy the coalition to their hearts content. They cannot dedicate enough time / agenda to the betterment of the nation.
So, When you claim the election will be fair, it does not, it DOES NOT, mean that we would see a better term next time.
I am not in the least, consoled.
Waheed is busy trying to frame Nasheed as preparation for the upcoming elections
Among all the undesirable choices, Dr. Waheed is the least worst.... and thus the best among the rest.
When was the last time Waheed gave us cause to believe anything he said? All his actions so far indicate a total lack of interest in what is good for the nation. I am sure he will make the elction 'free nd fair' for his friends in the regime by making it impossible for Nasheed to participate in it. Waheed. Don't waste your breath, no one takes you seriously!
What does this man know about winning a fair election. He faled as an independent and now as an UNELECTED President that came to office by using the gun. He now is trying to preach to us????
Yeah we'll cut off anyone who actually has a support to win the election. In the end they will give a one guy and a dummy to vote . So much for a free and fair election
How can you put national interest ahead of your own interest? It is human nature to work for his interest. Everything depends on own interest. Where people talk about national interest is first , when you have a country that can serve your interest and protecting the nation becomes own interest. Maldives in a country does not offer much to its people as a country. It is better to be more pragmatic and realistic when you deliver speeches to influence people’s mind. Mr Waheed, there is no nation you can build you have people who need help to create a nation and you have to say let’s make a good election to elect a leader who can create a nation for us, and I see only Anni can be that person as we only hear him talking about helping people and paving the way to create a nation. You know we don’t hear Anni talking all bull s**t about nationalism and flowery talks that’s irrelevant in this small country.
@ Maldives politics
You are saying Anni treats nationalism as 'bull s**t' and thats how it should be.
Very correct. And that precisely whats wrong with Anni from the majority perspective.
Happy New Years to you.
Waheed, no matter how noble and wise your words maybe. It just no longer carries any weight with the people you are supposed to lead. You maybe president but I think sheikh imran has more followers than you. You will go down in history as a passer by. President Nasheed and Maumoon will write history in 2013. Sorry state you are in, I think you are better off at UN post.
Good saying but action will saw different pictures.
Nasheed is the man who had tried to narrow our democracy for his person gain.
Waheed at least have some sincerity and capacity to run the government as a coalition government.
Nasheed was not able to maintain the coalition even for a month in the past. Nasheed is very shellfish person unlike waheed.
I doubt that Nasheed will find any coalition partner in 2013 based on his past history and every one know that Nasheed will promise to bring the moon to earth prior winning the election. His words will have no meaning, once he get the post and get the power.
Once he is in full control, he will start kicking out the coalition members and will start to lie about what he promised during campaign.
This guy had no shelf integrity when it come to power and Nasheed is a power hunger mania .
I hope The UN and the world do not give any employment positions to anti-democratic people like Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.
Small minded simpletons like Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik wouldn’t hesitate to do any criminal activity for position and power. This guy boasts about being in running an education program in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime. What did he do there? May be he helped the Taliban regime to burn down schools??
Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik helped to bring about the coup in maldives thinking that he will get respect once he becomes the coupe president. But the parrot man Waheed only gets insulted where ever he goes in Maldives.
The People of Maldives are fully aware of the situation Mr. Nasheed has taken this country to. We were a peaceful country, enjoying peace and stability. Nasheed introduced cronism and tore the social fabric of this country apart, trying to make way for a multi cultural secular state.
He failed. Thank God.
This country would become the most racist, most intolerant in the world. We think we r most faithful Muslims in the world. But, few practice it accordingly. This country already is multicultural in thought. there r many who does not even believe if there is a GOD. So what r we Mr.Mathias?
@mathias
Papa, please take your medication and go to sleep.