Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Shifag ‘Histo’ Mufeed yesterday signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) during a meeting in his constituency of Fuvamullah.
The meeting was attended by the party’s leader, former President Maumoon Gayoom. Shifag was pictured in local media with the former President, draped with a garland of pink flowers.
Shifag acknowledged that charges of financial gain were likely to be levelled at any MP crossing the parliamentary divide during the political upheaval.
“I’m not a person who worships money. I feel disappointed and embarrassed that such people exist in our party. However, I want to assure you I will do whatever is in my power for you citizens, for your island, for my island, no matter which colour or which party I’ve signed on to,” Shifag said.
Shifag also explained his previous “abusive” criticism of Gayoom as the “words of a young man”who had not had any other president to compare the 30-year autocrat with.
“I was very young and politically naïve. Our history had not been written down very clearly”, he told people at a rally in Fuvahmulah yesterday.
Shifag claimed during the rally that the fall of former President Nasheed had arisen because of the actions of MDP members who had begun to act in a self-serving and dictatorial fashion.
Former Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa said the party had been aware that Shifag had been negotiating with other parties.
“Shifag has always been negotiating with other parties for a better deal for himself. We’ve known that he was was not one of the party faifthful, and that behind the scenes he was negotiating,” she said.
The Fuvahmulah MP had become increasingly critical of the MDP’s leadership in recent times. Last week he chose to go against the party line, attending the Majlis session in which the government’s nominees for the Vice-Presidency and the cabinet were confirmed by the coalition parties.
The official position of the MDP is that the February 7 transfer of power was orchestrated through a coup and, therefore, that the current government is illegitimate.
The MDP’s President and Vice President, Dr Ibrahim Didi and Alhan Fahmy, were removed from their posts last week after the party’s National Congress voted in support of no-confidence motions made against them. The primary reason given was the belief that the pair had been making statements in contradiction of the party’s official resolution of February 8.
Assuaging fears of further divisions within the MDP, Zulfa said that the party was “stronger than ever”.
“It is now that we should be dealing with people who are not loyal to the party philosophy. Even [former party leaders, voted out last week] Dr Ibrahim Didi and Alhan Fahmy – the time to deal with that was now. They were creating divisions at a time we need unity. As leaders they should have been uniting the party rather than questioning the way it was doing things,” said Zulfa.
All three of the parliamentary seats in Shifag’s Fuvahmullah constituency are now held by the PPM which, with the signature of Shifag, now has the largest minority representation in the Majlis with 18 members from a total of 77.
The PPM’s group leader Abdulla Yameen was confident that the party would gain more parliamentary converts, though he admitted that the “dynamic” nature of politics makes predictions difficult.
“The MDP will have to make extra efforts, they have an uphill battle to fight. They will have to arrest the movement of MPs to other parties,” he said.
The PPM’s unofficial numbers in the house became officially recognised after the victory of Ahmed Shareef in the Thimarafushi by-election in April. Prior to this, the Majlis’s PPM supporters were technically classed as independents as the party had not won any seats through the polls.
The party was formed in October 2011 after the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) split. Vice-President of the party Umar Naseer yesterday told Minivan News that he was confident the party could replace the MDP as the majority leader in the Majlis.
Unlike the rules governing the party affiliation of council members, members of the Majlis are not required to stand for re-election after changing political parties.
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people worship money too? thanks for the info. now i am so curious to know who worship money
Do not lose sight of the target. You are chosen by the constituents to represent them in the Parliament.
Regardless of the color, do what is best for the country and your island.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h_zHnjJQCKU
These people simply have no shame! Look what he has said before, and look what he is saying now! What a sell out!
you had only that to say in your defense? now i am even more convinced than before! thanks!
Histo has sold his soul, he accused Gayoom of harassing his father n causing his death. a man who sells his own fathers honour like this can't do anything good for the country.
This rascal has no ethics or sound ideology; he is misleading his Islanders for his personal gains.
haha MDP (Meehunah Dhupaankuraa Party) is dooooomed!!! dhen lalalaaaa!!!
Shifaq's late father(may he rest in peace through eternity)must have advised him beyond the grave to switch the party.Parliamentary rules need to be changed to require MP's to step down and recontest if they wants to switch the party. This will be much fairer to all political parties and the electorate who puts their trust in MPs.
Another member to "Mamoons Family Wealth Organisation". One more naive.. among a bunch of self worshiping autocrats.
History will Reward you abundantly.
"As leaders they should have been uniting the party rather than questioning the way it was doing things,” said Zulfa.
Is that how MDP sees democracy? Zulfa seems to suggest that there is no room for "questioning the way it was doing things". I'm astonished that the likes of Zulfa have not realised that "the way it was doing things" have lead MDP on to the streets rather than sitting in the seats of power.
Yameen is right in one sense. MDP has an uphill battle and that's not only in stopping MPs leaving the party, but also in remaining relevant as a political entity. It's highly questionable whether party will remain relevant if they continue on their current path. I'd rather see a new and fresh group emerge to lead the party, than letting it drown at the hands of the old guard of drinking pals!
I know you you were always hungry for money mr short man. you can only fool your people. shame on you cheap man. have your father arrived now from grave as you said what a shit guy is this
@Ahmed bin Addu bin Suvadheeb
Hahahahah lol now i believe my eyes, it is true, its happened your allegiance to MDP!!!, saviours of the Addu ppl!!! Who made Addu what it is!!!(bull) done a histo eh! Or did Histo do a suvadheeb, true I agree most MDP people such as Zulfa do not make much sense especially these days, they must do something about this as like you said they will not end up on the streets after sitting on the seats of power but maybe in the nuthouse, seeing Baaghees left right and centre you know Baghees when they sleep,Baghees when they wake up, no other way for MDP but start from Day 1 since even theyre supporters are confused these days!! MDP magic wearing off!!
Ahmed,get an education.
Its people like Histo who reminds us of the work ahead of us to reclaim our nation.
Anni has promised that he will go back to hell once again to claim democracy...so fear not people, he brought democracy once to our country and it definitely won't be the last!
Money speaks louder then morales for scum like this.
@Ahmed on Mon, 7th May 2012 4:41 AM
"Hahahahah lol now i believe my eyes, it is true, its happened your allegiance to MDP!!!, saviours of the Addu ppl!!! Who made Addu what it is!!!(bull)"
I'm afraid I don't speak the same language as you and am having a hard time figuring out what you said, even with the common language of English that I share with you. After all, I doubt you understand a word of my mother tongue.
If what you are alleging is that MDP did something for Addu, I'm afraid you are very confused. The only thing MDP will be remembered for in Addu are the following:
(1) The Big White Elephant alias the Equatorial Convention Centre. This will be mothballed quite soon.
(2) A bit of tarmac on some roads.
(3) A lot of damage to public and private property.
I can't think of anything else that the MDP contributed to Addu!
About time! MDP has never done anything good for our special island. Even the airport development was initiated during Maumoon's time. Anni just only opened it. He had no involvement in it whatsoever. Down with MDP!
lets wait until the government change you will agin need to find a better way for your people i think you should become the president thats for the better future of your region pls quit and run presidential campaign for the next round hehe
pls dont beg MDP when they win the election we hate you MAN the majority of this country hate you
olhifatha... "Anni has promised that he will go back to hell once again to claim democracy..."
That is an awesome, a powerful statement, that you say Anni made.
And Indeed, to bring genuine positive change anywhere, one has to have the stomach, the psychological strength and courage, to go into "hell..."
Light only illuminates when it enters the darkness.
Easy to speak about it...
You literally need super human strength to really do it!
Pray he finds the strength to really do it...
\
me as well, I want that strength!