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Gasim in “better position” than Yameen for election victory, JP claims

The Jumhoree Party (JP), led by business tycoon and MP Gasim Ibrahim, has this week expressed confidence it will finish above the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in the first round of the upcoming presidential election – before securing a second round victory.

Speaking following the launch of the JP’s election manifesto, the party’s Policy Secretary Mohamed Ajmal said indicators like internal policy research had reaffirmed its supporters’ belief that MP Gasim was in a “better position” than PPM candidate Abdulla Yameen to secure the presidency.

The comments were made following the launch of the JP’s election manifesto, which places an emphasis on pre-school and university education, as well as introducing a so-called “holistic” taxation policy extending to individuals and businesses.

The PPM, formed by former autocratic President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has meanwhile maintained that MP Yameen and former President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), remain the only two candidates capable of winning the election – accusing Gasim of having to buy support in order to compete with them.

‘Jumhoree coalition’

Despite the claims, the JP has been working to consolidate its support base ahead of September’s poll, with the religious conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) and the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) last month leaving a coalition with President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ithihaad Party (GIP) to instead back Gasim.

With voting expected to commence a month today, MP Gasim has claimed in local media that the JP had over 30,000 members when including applications waiting to be approved by the country’s Election Commission (EC).

JP Policy Secretary Ajmal said the membership numbers were reflective of campaign visits to islands across the country in recent months, which highlighted that Gasim was seen as a “man of the people” ahead of the election.

He added that the addition of other high-profile politicians like one time PPM Deputy Leader Umar Naseer to the JP further highlighted the growing support for Gasim’s candidacy.

Alongside this support, Ajmal said he remained confident that the focus of the JP manifesto on issues such as tax reform would directly address key voter concerns about the current state of the economy.

Among these proposed reforms is a “holistic” approach to tax that would extend taxation beyond the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST) and general GST introduced and expanded under the former government to include capital gains tax and income tax.

“With taxation, we hope to take a holistic approach to the bare minimum policy of tax we have with T-GST and GST,” Ajmal said.

He added that a JP government would also work to comply with International Monetary Funds (IMF) recommendations to balance the nation’s budget deficit. The IMF earlier this year expressed concern that without raising revenue and cutting expenditures, the Maldives risked exhausting its international reserves and sparking an economic crisis.

Ajmal said that while there were many ways to try and curb the budget deficit, the JP would favour what he called a “optimistic approach”.

“There is not a problem with raising revenue in the Maldives, the problem is in fact related to a lack of infrastructure,” he said. “The wealthy are not being taxed properly and there is an issue with the distribution of wealth in the nation.”

Ajmal claimed that with an estimated 60 to 70 percent of national income now being spent by the government on recurrent expenditure, the JP in government would look to curb the amount of borrowing undertaken by the state.

He claimed one solution would be reducing the state’s reliance on treasury bills by securing “low interest” development loans to try and reduce outgoing payments on national borrowing.  The spokesperson was not drawn on whether cuts would need to be made to the country’s civil service.

The JP meanwhile pledged that it would not be increasing the size of the country’s civil service as part of aims to curb recurrent expenditure to about 40 percent, focusing instead on investment in local infrastructure to try and raise revenue through the private sector.

With the JP presently serving within the coalition government of President Waheed following the controversial transfer of power in February 2012, Ajmal said he believed voters saw Gasim as an “individual” candidate, and not someone who would continue the economic policies of the present administration.

“Mr Gasim has always supported all governments, apart from the previous administration when he was betrayed by [former President] Mohamed Nasheed. We as a party are always concerned for the people,” he said. “We believe that voters don’t see us as part of the current government.”

Ajmal said that the party believed Gasim was an individual who voters would understand did not have the powers alone to affect the financial policy of the present government.

“Mr Gasim has supplied some US$10 million to US$12 million though the Villa Foundation on philanthropic matters,” he said.

Ajmal claimed that the ‘Jumhoree coalition’ backing Gasim election had now allowed the JP to position themselves as the “main alternative” to former President Nasheed for all voters wishing to oppose him.

JP coalition “no threat”: PPM

Ajmal’s claims were rejected by PPM MP Ahmed Nihan, who today dismissed any notion that the coalition backing Gasim’s presidency could pose a threat to his own party’s election campaign.

He added that the PPM was certain the presidency would be won by either its own candidate in Yameen or former President Nasheed.

Addressing the members of the ‘Jumhoree coalition’ backing Gasim, Nihan accused the religious conservative Adhalaath Party in particular of having “disintegrated” and no longer resembling the political party it was formed as in 2005.

“In 2005, soon after the election, [the AP] has huge support , but soon after they sold their beliefs to many parties including the MDP,” he alleged.

“Maybe tomorrow they will come knocking on our door,” Nihan added of the party.

As a further contrast to the JP, Nihan argued that only the PPM and MDP had supporters and activists working across islands all over the country that were fully “engaged” in election campaigning and making banners, sometimes at their own expense.

He claimed that during the party’s recent campaign tours, the PPM had not seen any similar support for Gasim, the JP or his coalition.

“[The JP] does not have campaigners all over the country. Gasim has had to pay people to work for him, where as we do not have to pay for support,” Nihan said.

Flying the flag

Taking the example of his own constituency in Vilimale’, Nihan claimed that Gasim had brought supporters across from the southerly Addu Atoll to come and put up banners “bought from China”, 60 percent of which he alleged had been put up across the one island.

The flags are said to have been set up in such significant quantities that one Vilimale’ resident told Minivan News: “On some roads, I can’t see the sky.”

Similar displays of flags and party colours have in recent months begun appearing across the capital of Male’, even resulting in a so-called ‘paint war’ between rival PPM and MDP supporters in June.

However, Nihan claimed that majority of flags and banners produced by the PPM had been handmade by local supporters, reflecting what he said highlighted the overriding popularity of the party in Maldivian politics.

“On [Vilimale’] we don’t see the support for Gasim, but the flags are certainly there,” he said.

Nihan agreed that Gasim did have “loyal” support in parts of the country, but said it would not be enough to challenge for a top two place during national polls.

“I express my gratitude to Gasim as a philanthropist, but his coalition partners will not provide the level of support we have,” he said. “He is spending millions on his campaign.”

Nihan was also critical of the JP’s proposed reforms to taxation, arguing that Gasim as both a parliamentarian and party leader had not previously advocated for increased taxation.

He accepted that before the foundation of the PPM, the majority of the party’s MPs – then belonging to the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) before a bitter split – had ultimately supported the introduction of taxation despite initial reservations.

Nihan said that the party’s initial reservations were based on the timing of introducing such taxation starting from 2011, adding that PPM candidate Yameen did support the introduction of tax despite wishing the matter had been handled differently.

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Witnesses testify against chief suspect Humam in ongoing Afrasheem murder trial

Witnesses produced by the prosecution have testified against Hussain Humam, the chief suspect in the MP Dr Afrasheem Ali murder case, with one claiming he had seen a person very similar to Humam in the ablution area of Shaheed Ali Mosque during the night the MP was murdered.

On October 2012, Dr Afrasheem Ali – the former MP for Dhuvaafaru constituency – was found brutally stabbed to death on the staircase of his residence.

According to police, the murder occurred shortly after Afrasheem arrived home following his appearance on the TVM show “Islamee Dhiriulhun” (Islamic Life), with Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Qubad Aboobakuru.

After lengthy criminal investigation, the police identified Humam as the prime suspect in the case and the Prosecutor General pressed charges of murder against him.

Along with Humam, Ali Shan is facing the same charges while a minor identified as ‘Nangi’ stands accused of aiding and abetting the murder, after police claimed he had accompanied Humam and Shan to the residence of Dr Afrasheem before murdering him with a machete and a bayonet knife.

Humam initially confessed to the murder, but later withdrew his statement claiming it had been extracted under police duress.

During the hearing on Tuesday the state witness claimed as he entered the ablution area of the Shaheed Ali Mosque around 1:20 am on October 2, 2012, he saw a man washing his face and hands in the area. The witness, who was approximately three feet from the man at the time, said he believed the man was not performing ablution.

Instead, he was watching his face and hands in an extraordinary manner, the witness told the court. The witness also said that the man looked very similar to Humam, despite seeing him as having long hair at the time and the photograph of Humam shown by police having trimmed hair.

The witness said he had given the same statement previously to police during the investigation.

Another witness said he saw Humam on the same night around 12:40am walking at a frantic pace from Boduthakurufaanu Magu to the area near Tascalusa Cafe, where he crossed the road. He added that Humam appeared very nervous as he crossed the road near the Artificial Beach.

Both the witnesses identified Humam wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt.

Another witness claimed he had seen Humam smoking a cigarette in the Children’s Park in front of Dr Afrasheem’s residence, as he walked into the premises.

During the hearing of the trial, Humam also made several statements. He claimed that he was not mentally stable and that he wanted a psychologist to assess him before the trials proceeded.

He also claimed that after the police arrested him, he was taken to Villimale Police Station where police psychologically tortured him. Humam claimed that the police officers in Villimale Police station showed him photos of Afrasheem’s body, and a document that claimed the state would begin enforcing death penalty.

He also alleged to the court that senior police officers including Abdulla Riyaz, Mohamed Navaz and Mohamed Dhaoodh had met him and tried to force him to confess to the murder. He also claimed that Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohamed Fayaz had also met him and requested he confess to the crime, implying that his previous confession was due to police influence.

He also went onto allege that the sitting Judge Abdulla Didi – Vice President of Judicial Service Commission (JSC) – had already picked a side on the case and that he was “heavily aligned” with the prosecution.

Humam’s defence lawyer Abdulla Haseen during the hearing requested the judge give permission for the defence to produce their own witnesses, supporting the argument that Humam had not been at the place of crime but was rather at the Henveiru Stadium.

Concluding the hearing, Judge Didi said the court would decide on whether to grant permission to the defence counsel to present their witnesses at a later date. No date was announced by the judge.

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Resort tycoon unveils “Religion and Nationalism Policy”, promises to strengthen Islamic faith

The Jumhoree Party (JP) has unveiled its “Religion and Nationalism Policy” – a set of objectives focusing on strengthening Islamic faith and national identity in the Maldives – as part of party leader Gasim Ibrahim’s bid for presidency in the upcoming elections.

Both the religious conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) recently defected to Gasim from President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s coalition, forming the ‘Jumhoree Alliance’ – a coalition consisting of the three parties.

DQP Leader Hassan Saeed was subsequently appointed as Gasim’s running mate.

In a rally held to unveil the policy on Tuesday, Gasim stressed his “personal efforts” defending national identity and the religion, claiming to have been the mastermind behind the constitutional prerequisite that in order to be a Maldivian, one must be a Muslim.

During the constitution drafting process Gasim claimed that, despite a small group of people objecting to the mandatory requirement, it was he who forced the article into the constitution by invoking his power as Speaker of the Assembly. As a result, Article 9(d) of the constitution states “a non-Muslim may not become a citizen of the Maldives”.

“I made the proposition to include the article demanding that every Maldivian citizen must be a Muslim. I did this by invoking the powers vested to the Speaker of the Constitutional Assembly under the previous constitution,” Gasim said. “Despite opposition from a few, I carried out my religious and national duty courageously believing in Allah. By the will of Allah, I was able to succeed.”

Gasim also he had worked to include the article because 99 percent of Maldivian people did not want any other religion allowed in the Maldives, although he admitted that a few individuals did not share the same view as he did.

Meanwhile as head of the Villa resort chain Gasim remains one of the country’s single largest importers of alcohol, with customs records for 2011 revealing that his hotels – including the Royal, Paradise, Sun, and Holiday Island resorts – imported approximately 121,234.51 litres of beer, 2048 litres of whiskey, 3684 litres of vodka and 219.96 kilograms of pork sausages annually, among other haram (prohibited) commodities restricted to ‘uninhabited’ islands.

Focus on Islamic education and an Islamic University

The Chairman of Villa Group also promised that in his future government he would make the subjects Islam and Quran mandatory in all schools up to grade 10. He said he was promising this because people wanted it to be that way and that no one can “challenge” the wishes of the people.

“I do not wish to rule upon you as a king, but rather as your servant,” he claimed.

Gasim also said that the Jumhoree Party intends to establish an Islamic University in the country that would teach Arabic and Islamic Studies. He also promised to establish Islamic education centres in other regions of the Maldives as part of his government’s bid to strengthen people’s faith in Islam.

Speaking during the rally, Minister of Islamic Affairs Shaheem Ali Saeed – who is the Chair of Adhaalath Party’s Foreign Relations Committee – said the Jumhoree Alliance was the only political group with the technical people required to defend Islam.

He claimed there was no other political party or political group able to overpower the strength of the coalition in academic merit or experience.

Strengthening Islamic faith among youth

Shaheem meanwhile claimed a Jumhoree government’s educational focus was the establishment of an Islamic University. He promised that within the first year of government, legislation would be proposed to parliament to upgrade the current Islamic College Kulliyath’ Al Dhiraasath al Islamiyya to an Islamic University.

He also promised that schools teaching in the Arabic medium will be set up in four regions of the country other than in Male’, claiming that a lot of people had complained to him over a lack of Arabic teaching schools.

“These things will turn out to be a defining step in renewing our Islamic identity. These policies are important steps that will be taken for the benefit of this country. The most prestigious promise made by our leader Gasim Ibrahim is to keep this country as an Islamic state,” Shaheem said.

Shaheem claimed that making Quran a mandatory subject for students was part of Jumhoree party’s belief in strengthening Islamic faith among young people.

“The result will be that young people will have stronger faith in Islam and a renewed spirit of nationalism,” he said.

The Islamic Minister said under a Jumhoree government, efforts would be made to strengthen ties with Islamic states that would help other Muslims living in difficult situations – such as Maldivians.

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Islamic Ministry declares Thursday August 8 Eid-ul-Fitr

The Islamic Ministry has declared that Eid-ul-Fitr will take place tomorrow, Thursday August 8.

Eid-ul-Fitr is the celebration marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

President Dr Mohamed Waheed will receive members of the public at Muleaage to exchange Eid greetings tomorrow morning from 9:30am, according to the President’s Office website, and then address the nation at 11:00am.

The event is open to members of foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations in Male, according to the President’s office.

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Police search 1100 expatriate workers in hunt for rapist

Police have searched more than 1100 expatriate workers in an ongoing hunt for a foreign national accused of raping a 19 year-old Maldivian girl in Hulhumale last weekend.

The victim was snatched from the street and raped her in some bushes near Reethi Gas Magu Road. at around 9:30am on Saturday.

Police have not revealed the attacker’s nationality, but have described him as 5 feet 7 inches in height with shortly trimmed hair, last seen on the 10:00am Saturday ferry to Male nursing a badly-injured left forefinger.

According to a police statement, 334 workers were search in 23 locations on Hulhumale, 400 in Male, and 438 on the industrial island of Thilafushi.

Police said many people who travelled on the 10:00am ferry would have seen the suspect, and asked for anybody with more information to contact either the main police line (332 2111) or the serious and organised crime department on 991 1099.

The incident was the second of three rapes to be reported in less than a week.

On July 30 police arrested four men and one minor in connection with the gang rape of a 17 year-old girl on the island of Milandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll.

The victim was abducted, gang raped and filmed by a ‘large group’ of men, after she was abducted while walking home after attending a tuition class.

Two more suspects have since been arrested.

On July 27 an underage female was reportedly raped in a house in Male’, where she had gone to meet a friend.

Family and Child Protection Department Head, Chief Inspector Hassan Shifau said when the victim arrived at house there were three males in a room waiting for her, who threatened her, forced her to smoke cigarettes, and then forced her to have sex with them and filmed the incident.

Police have since arrested four males in connection with the incident, including two minors.

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Maldives government terminates Nexbis agreement, gives 14 days to vacate

The Maldives government has terminated its agreement with Malaysian security firm Nexbis to install and operate a border control system, giving it 14 days to vacate.

Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim local media that the disputed contract – signed under the previous government of former President Mohamed Nasheed in 2010 – was terminated by the cabinet yesterday over fears it was causing unspecified “major losses” to the state.

The termination was announced as immigration officials today said replacement technology being provided by the US government was not presently functional, with implementation “on hold” pending a legal hearing into the matter.

Department of Immigration Spokesperson Ibrahim Ashraf told Minivan News this morning that he had not personally been made aware of any decision by the government to terminate the agreement.

However, Ashraf confirmed that replacement technology being provided free of charge by the US government was “not 100 percent functional” at present.

“Because of legal issues, the project has been on hold,” he explained.

Immigration officials last month confirmed that “testing” had been underway on the new US-donated system, while Nexbis’ border control technology remained in use to monitor the arrivals and departures of foreign nationals

Ashraf referred further questions on the Nexbis system to Immigration Controller Dr Mohamed Ali, who was not responding to calls at time of press.

Nexbis is the second high profile foreign investment to be suddenly evicted by the administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed in the past 12 months.

The government last November announced it was terminating a 25-year concession agreement with India-based GMR to construct and operate a new terminal at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) in Male, giving the company seven days to vacate the country.

GMR is currently seeking compensation totaling US$1.4 billion from the government as part of arbitration proceedings to be heard in a Singaporean court, damages eclipsing the annual state budget.

Speaking to local media today, Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim was quoted as saying that the government expected to assume control of the country’s borders at the end of the 14 day notice period given to Nexbis.

He claimed that the US system was also “ready to be operational”, although no decision had yet been made to use the technology.

Attorney General (AG) Azima Shukoor added that discussions were presently being held with Nexbis over reaching an out of court settlement for terminating the contract, although she declined to provide any more details to media today.

“We assure you that the burden on the state will be far less with the termination of the agreement rather than continuing with it. We will take this process forward in the best interest of the state,” she was quoted as saying by Haveeru.

Concession agreement

Under the concession agreement signed with the Maldives government, Nexbis levied a fee of US$2 from passengers in exchange for installing, maintaining and upgrading the country’s immigration system.  The company also agreed a fee of US$15 for every work permit card issued under the system.

Both AG Azima and Defence Minister Nazim were not responding to calls at time of press.

Nexbis last month invoiced the Department of Immigration and Emigration for US$2.8 million (MVR 43 million) for the installation and operation of its border control technology in line with a concession agreement signed in 2010 – requesting payment be settled within 30 days.

Nexbis’ lawyers argued that the company had expected the fee to be included in the taxes and surcharges applied to airline tickets in and out of the country, according to local media.  However, lawyers argued these payments had not been made due to the government’s “neglect” in notifying the relevant international authorities.

Minivan News was awaiting a response from Suood, Anwar & Co – the company’s legal representatives in the Maldives – at time of press.

Parliamentary vote

Parliament had voted unanimously to terminate the agreement on 25 December 2012, in line with a recommendation from the Finance Committee alleging foul play in the signing of the agreement with former Immigration Controller Illyas Hussain Ibrahim.

Presenting the Finance Committee report to the floor, Chair MP Ahmed Nazim explained at the time that the “main problem” flagged by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was that the tender had not been made in accordance with the documents by the National Planning Council authorising the project.

The Finance Committee also recommended terminating the agreement over concerns it contained clauses to waive taxes to the company, Nazim said.

He noted that imposing or waiving taxes was a prerogative of parliament under article 97(d) of the constitution.

Following parliament’s termination of the project in December, Nexbis sought a legal injunction to prevent any cancellation of the agreement while court hearings over the contract were still ongoing.

The company had sought to contest whether the ACC has the power to compulsorily request the government to cease all work in relation to the border control system agreement.

However, in April of this year, the High Court overturned a Civil Court ruling declaring the ACC could not terminate a border control system (BSC) agreement signed by the Department of Immigration with Malaysian mobile security firm Nexbis.

The High Court ruling (Dhivehi) cleared the way for the Civil Court to hear the case filed by the ACC should it be resubmitted.

Nexbis has emphatically denied allegations of corruption, previously speculating that “criminal elements supporting human trafficking” were seeking to sabotage the agreement.

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Former President Mohamed Nasheed to return from Umrah on Wednesday

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Presidential Candidate and former President Mohamed Nasheed will be returning to Male’ after completing Umra pilgrimage in Mecca, reports local media outlet Channel News Maldives.

Nasheed left to Saudi Arabia last Saturday and spent the following two days in the pilgrimage. According to local media reports, the former president was accompanied by the Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid and former Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad.

Meanwhile the MDP has said that a special event will be organised on next Wednesday to exhibit 100,000 photos taken during Nasheed’s trips to the islands.

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Elections Commission claims 50,000 voters re-registered as deadline approaches

The Elections Commission (EC) has announced that more than 50,000 people have re-registered to vote at the commission, a day before the deadline.

Re-registration is necessary for those intending to vote at a polling station other than that listed with the Elections Commission, such as a worker based on a resort island or student in Male. Similarly, Maldivians residing abroad are also required to re-register in order to vote in the country of residence.

Registration can be easily checked using a national ID number and the EC’s 1414 SMS system (text 1414 in the format ‘VIS [National ID #]’.

The Elections Commission has previously announced that it intends to place ballot boxes in India’s Trivandrum and New Delhi, Colombo, London, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore – areas having significant populations of Maldivian expatriates.

By law, a minimum of 100 voters are required to register in any region for a ballot box to be placed.

The commission last week warned that low registration in London, Singapore and New Delhi could mean it would not be able to place ballot boxes in these locations. However by today, only New Delhi and Singapore still lacked the minimum number of registrations, with just 50 registered at the latter.

EC President Fuwad Thowfeek told local media today that he expected large number of re-registration forms would be submitted to the commission in the remaining period.

“Many re-registration forms will come in on the last day. That’s something we know from experience,” Thowfeek told Haveeru.

According to Thowfeek, the commission will stop accepting re-registration forms after Wednesday as per the previously set deadline of August 7. The commission has meanwhile ruled out any possibility of extending the deadline.

“The door for re-registration will be closed tomorrow night at 12 o’clock. After that we can’t accept any forms. We are expecting a large number of forms before the deadline expires,” he added.

Elections Commission has previously estimated that around 65,000 people will re-register before the deadline. Thowfeek appeared confident that the numbers would reach the commission’s estimate prior to the deadline.

The Presidential Elections are scheduled to take place on September 7. If no candidate attains the required 50 percent plus one vote to secure a first round victory, a run-off election will take place 20 days after the first election.

The commission has announced that four candidates will be competing in the elections.

The candidates are leader of the Jumhoree Party (JP) Gasim Ibrahim (running mate Dr Hassan Saeed), Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate former President Mohamed Nasheed (running mate Dr Musthafa Luthfy), incumbent President and independent candidate Dr Mohamed Waheed (running mate DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali) and Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen (running mate Dr Mohamed Jameel).

Check the voter registry and registered place of voting

Download registration form (Dhivehi)

In the Maldives? Check your details via SMS

To check where/if you are registered to vote, SMS 1414 ‘VIS(space)(National ID#)’

To check political party registration, SMS 1414 ‘PPR(space)(National ID#)’

Elections Commission hotline: 1414

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President Waheed inaugurates Thaa Atoll, Dhaalu Atoll road developments

President Dr Mohamed Waheed yesterday (August 5) inaugurated two separate road development projects on the islands of Vilufushi in Thaa Atoll and Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaalu Atoll.

Speaking on Vilufushi, Dr Waheed said the projects were part of a nationwide commitment undertaken by his administration to build roads over the last two years. Nine roads were expected to be built in Vilufushi alone, according to the President’s Office website.

President Waheed added that with Vilufushi being one of the islands most severely impacted in the Maldives during the 2004 Asian Tsunami, a greater number of services still needed to be provided to the local population living there.

According to the President’s Office, Dr Waheed also shared specifics of government development plans for the island.

The president’s campaigning has recently come under criticism from rivals standing against him in the upcoming election.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – part of his current coalition government – has accused Dr Waheed of using state resources to campaign for his own Gaumee Ihthihad Party (GIP) ahead of the upcoming presidential election scheduled for September 7.

PPM Presidential candidate MP Abdulla Yameen back in May said he understood “concerns” raised by MDP candidate Mohamed Nasheed regarding President Waheed’s use of state resources for campaigning.

“That is, the way [the government] is doing things, there are problems over whether we could reach free and fair elections. The Auditor General and ACC [Anti-Corruption Commission] have taken note of this,” he said at the time.

The PPM has nonetheless pledged to continue supporting President Waheed’s government up until September’s election, despite concerns about the decision to dismiss former Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed after he decided to stand as MP Yameen’s running mate.

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