Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid has today joined the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – days after resigning from the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
Following ongoing media speculation over the last week that the speaker was considering defecting to the MDP, Shahid today confirmed via his Twitter account that he had changed his political allegiance over concerns about the direction of the country’s democratic transition.
I believe in the democratic Maldives built in 2008;will not stand by while opportunists & extremists drag our country back.Today, I join MDP
— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) April 18, 2013
Shahid did not elaborate further when asked by Minivan News today if he believed his decision to switch parties would potentially lead to government-aligned MPs reconsidering their support for his speaker role.
“Strong and resolute”
Shahid’s former party, the DRP, today said that it did not wish to comment on the personal decision of someone who was no longer a member of the party.
DRP Deputy Leader Abdulla Mausoom told Minivan News that despite the defection of the speaker, the party would “remain solid, strong and resolute”.
Mausoom added that the government-aligned party did not presently have any intention to pursue a no-confidence motion against the speaker as a result of him switching parties.
“In the past, most of the no-confidence motions have been conducted by either the MDP or the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM),” he claimed.
Mausoom alleged that previous no-confidence motions submitted from the two parties had been undertaken as a means of seeking vengeance against the speaker or other political figures – something he claimed the DRP would not do.
“We have not initiated a no-confidence motion. We believe that no confidence should only be taken on an issue of national importance,” he said.
However, he claimed that in cases where any politician – whether a speaker or cabinet minister – was deemed to be compromising national issues, then the party “would not hesitate” to take action.
Abdulla Yameen, Parliamentary Group Leader of the government-aligned PPM – the country’s second largest political party after the MDP and minority party of parliament – did not respond to calls from Minivan News about the speaker’s switch today.
Earlier this week, PPM MP Ahmed Nihan said he had worked with Shahid for many years and personally found him to be very capable in his position as speaker.
However, he added that he was not sure how his fellow party members or other government-aligned MPs might view a decision to switch to the opposition.
“Ideological shift”
Shahid’s switch comes almost exactly one year to the day that the opposition MDP submitted an unsuccessful no confidence motion against the speaker, accusing him of making decisions relating to significant parliamentary issues without discussing them with various political parties.
However, MDP MP and spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor today said that the speaker’s switch was strongly supported by the party’s “grass roots”.
Ghafoor claimed that Shahid’s arrival to the party reflected an “idealogical shift” in the country’s political arena that would bring many more supporters to the MDP who may have previously been sceptical about doing so.
“What [Shahid] is saying, I believe, is that the country needs stability,” he added.
Ghafoor claimed that he had not been made aware of any party moving to challenge Shahid’s position as speaker as a result of his decision to switch parties so far.
He said that the MDP would itself be holding a rally tomorrow night (April 19) dubbed ‘New Strength’. Shahid is believed to be among the speakers at the rally.
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I new this long before he will bring this change
Welcome to the Oligarchy game! Group One: Yameen, Jabir, Suntravel Shiyam...etc and Group two: Shahid, Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Munawar, Mariya (the lap dancer). This game is beyond Gayoom and Nasheed now. The game has intensified. The stakes is high. Nasheed and Gayoom will be discarded soon. Poor in the society will suffer and hopes lost. Nasheed is still dreaming in the lap of Mariya like a teenage boy who is in love first time. Nasheed thinks he is in command. But these shareholders of Oligarchy needs a puppet to play their game on their behalf. Politics is geting more interesting now.
Yeah, yeah yeah.
What color underwear you wear is immaterial to me.
I care about my country. If you can make a constructive contribution, however small, towards the stability and economic growth, I will commend you for that.
It's good that you left the prostitute transvestite chas randu.
@Andrew Andreas
True he got out of one prostitute transvestite, but then he re entered into another, which Jabir, Alhan, Ali Waheed all are currently. I wouldn't be surprise if he then visit the next one called PPM. We are very far from any good political system. All these parties serves the business master and fool ordinary citizens.
Mohamed well said.
These are political prostitutes
Who are the bigger fools? The merchants who sell dreams or the buyers gullible enough to be taken in by the sales pitch?
Actually real prostitutes deserve more respect. They are doing it because they really need the buck. But these political prostitutes: they engage in prostitution thinking that it will help elevate their status in society.
Wonder if anyone has heard the story of the Pharoah's of Egypt who tried to achieve immortality of a kind; little knowing all they were doing was trying to write a line in the sands of time.
When BMW and co tallies the balance sheet at the end of their term - believe me all good things comes to an end - would they be willing to consider themselves losers or winners? I believe there is one factor they have failed to consider. Its pretty common for children to pay for the sins of their fathers. Just consider the fate of Stalin's son, Adolf Hitler's wife and children and one may begin to see the light at end of the tunnel.
Wow! What an example of cowardice, cheapness and lack of character. yet this mean regards himself as a speaker. spit.
Whatever happened to courage to stand and resign. Even a simple paatey would have better moral character and integrity
For therein He thought it was safe for him to seek glory. Thought ye thou had Information too. Nay, He was merely a house-servant in that Gunday Gayyooms Palaces. The pride of His majesty to becometh Nasheed. And all glory is with God only. And in your loneliness 'Shahid- ye defaulted. Thou becometh a martyr, for thou thought we are extremists (we are) bent backwards. And those video's of thou' in Jiggy-land, what of it? Aye this is why ye always was outside the sacred circle. Thou betrayed, and then betrothed this pol-pot. And this failure to please Golhaa'a, this failure to ascend with Golhaa'a displeased thou. It left you wanting we know. Yet we assure you, thou will be felt harshly in yellow-eyed zombie's company. Then you will have died too in veynn. Thou hath indeed permission also to leave.
@Andrew Andreas
I agree with you. It's like being an athiest one day, then a Moslem the next day. Never can make up their minds. The real sorrow is that everyone starts feeling invincible when righteousness is seen to be failing. This is where and why the innocent always get hurt. This man for example has started to believe the myths MDP creates- he seeks the glory also that come with associating one's self with bandits and low-lifes. And he identified with them thus- his private behaviour very much is in line with MDP. This was very well known to the kings on the other side too (long time ago). And underwear now should be the least of his worries.
@Kuribee
Man if it isn't for you, this place would be overrun with MDP ideologues. Thank you for all the help (lol)..
Dear speaker Shahid? Opportunists? ha ha. Are you sure you are not talking about the man in your mirror?
Good thing Shahid realized this now at least. He stood by while the coup happened on Feb 7th and stayed with Thasmeen a man who is not capable of doing anything, all these days.
If Shahid can really stand up to the extremists and opportunists he would have done something for this country.
@ Hathim
yes, we are all sure Mr. Shahid is going to stand up to the bespectacled, barely five feet, bald-headed opportunist in his mirror.
sensible move
Shahid is an opportunist and that is why he alined with MDP.
Shaid among the people who had money from GMR deal.
@Kuribee
'Alignment' is the correct words yes. Very appropriate. It couldn't be more clear if a camera was pointed at it. However I agree with Shahid's move. It's not a perfect world, and nobody said MDP is perfect either. We are all doing the best we can. He does have a right to switch allegiances, especially since he's always trying to be young and in sync with the 'new generation'. A very distinguished crook sure, but this is something or someone MDP needs now maybe. Cheers to him.
For those who are inside know The real reason why shahid switched to MDP is because Yamin and jangiya Nazim wanted to remove shahid from his seat at the head of parliament. It's not for democracy, it's for survival.
Shahid was never an opportunist or whoever when he was working with, and for MAG.
People like @Kuribee must have worshiped and adored then!
But, when he see the light and join MDP for a cause, he is this and that!
@Kuribee and the likes, wonderful, and shameless!
With the much fiddled and preset minds that you have, it is not possible to see anything of worth in you that can be compared with any of Shahid's compatibility!
Yes, a bald head he may have.
And five foot two he may be tall!
But he at least had the decency to try make amend, and do some good for the people and the nation! I would applaud him for that!
As @Rationale on Fri, 19th Apr 2013 4:25 PM say, I would also think it is a sensible move and at the proper time!
anyone who agrees with Nasheed will be a saint and anyone who criticize Nasheed will be a devil.
Patriot. I am not fool like you. I am not not a person who can be bought for few thousands like you.
@ Kuribee
Looks like you can see things only in black and white or shall I say pink (good) and yellow (bad).
As for being bought, do we care what you were bought with ? Its obvious you have a lot to lose if President nasheed wins the election!
Shahid is a wise man. I respect his judgement. Unlike most fools who comment here, he has seen quite a lot of what actually goes on behind the scenes in Maldivian politics. For us armchair pundits, it's easy to throw verbal abuse at others.
People like Shahid has seen how a dictator works at close range. He has also seen what democracy could bring about.
I admire him for the insight he has gained during his long years of public service. It's no small feat keeping control over a monkey house full of semi-literate baboons. Shahid's mild manners combined with his wisdom is much needed for the sake of our future.