Hundreds of protesters have today gathered near parliament to call on the abolition of the Majlis, citing anger over the passing of a bill to extend MP privileges within the state budget.
Activists, which sources have claimed support a number of political parties, joined civil servants, NGOs and other workers near the parliament building to protest against the actions of the Majlis, leading police to restrict access to some streets around the area.
The outrage was said to have been sparked yesterday when parliament passed allowances for parliamentarians that the protesters believe is ‘’way too much’’.
According to the new bill, parliamentarians will receive an additional Rf20,000 to their salary for attending committees, while also being allowed to import vehicles without paying any duty on them. The parliament also approved measures to reinstate the salaries of independent commissions, while failing to address the reduced salaries of civil servants.
This decision has led protesters to claim that MPs were working for their self-interest in the name of working for the nation and citizens in their work.
By this afternoon, a group of protesters brought a box written “Majlis Fund” that was passed beyond the police barrier, before they joined others in heavily criticizing the country’s MPs.
As a result, local media reported that tempers also flared within parliament, as rival MPs clashed with each other forcing speaker Abdulla Shahid to cancel today’s sitting. Haveeru said that some MPs had argued to withdraw the bill for amendment, with Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Maloof one of the names said to support a repeal of the privileges bill on claims that it was against the “pulse of the people”.
Today’s street protests follow on from similar action undertaken last night by the ‘Tortured Victims Association’, which was disrupted after some people present clashed with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentarian group leader Moosa ‘Reeco’ Manik, verbally assaulting him over the issue of budget.
The protest, which involved around 20 to 30 people over practices of torture allegedly committed under the rule of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, ended up as a protest against all the parliamentarians. A few protesters then marched towards the house of Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid later in the evening.
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Whatever the MP's get is something that rotates around the economy!
Protesters < Sum of MP's
Torture Victim my a**; not even a single case proven!
Surprisingly all sides of the Majlis are totally united when it comes to greediness! What a shame!
Pepper spray; out of stock!!!
“Miee mihaathanah ufedhunu emme zimmaadhaaru majlis” – MP Musthafa
“Miee haqqu laari.. aharumenge musaara aa kulhenyaa ehen emmenge ves kudakuran jeheyne” – Reeko Moosa
“Magey bank accountuga neiy bai laarives save kurevifa” – MP Mahuloof
That's how absolutely insensitive and out-of-touch our MPs are.
These utterly dysfunctional idiots have been wasting our time in Majlis, sitting on long overdue crucial bills that are yet to be debated.. and now, this?
Considering that the government has been trying to convince an unhappy civil service that they must take a 'pay cut' because of a crippled economy and huge budget deficit, this is absolutely stupid, arrogant and insensitive.
A pay hike of 20,000? Per month? This is mockery!
For the first time I support a mass protest to get throw these people out of parliament and conduct mid-term parliamentary elections.
Wewod be better without these scoundrels, have they not listened to the IMF?
What is the speaker doing other than feeding himself as usual. Dissolve this disgrace now Mr President before more anarchy ensues, the people have had enough skull duggery from these idiots.
i don't know the background and intentions of the people in the protest.
BUT one thing is clear, the Parliament have not been able to do any good, and it is insane and outrageous to pay 6000-7000USD to these MPs to querrel and waste precious time about Maumoon and Anni.
havn't we had enough! public is without proper education, country is being radicalized, no clean water, no where to sleep (some) and these freaks have the nerve to pass the bills for additional RF20000. god damn it!
Mahloof is one of the MPs who VOTED FOR this increase in so called privileges! And now that the nation has risen against Parliaments, he is trying to fool the people!
Parliamentarians atleast they all communicate in one medium , 'MONEY'.
Be aware coz its only 77 against a 100000. Any kind of factions might come out. Greed will be met with Fist n Fire.
dont politicize this or make this about some 'MRF 20,000' alone. this is about a failed majlis. MPs not doing their job AND demanding more and more. take any single social problem and you will find failure of majlis will jump in at some point. important work which the constitution obligates them to do is being ignored. these protests should continue. i knw our people have a short attention span...but this time we gotta continue watching and pressuring them. thats the only way these people will do they work. and colored people should not be backing these MPs just coz they are from a certain party. it is a national problem. izzaifriggintheri they think they are. why should we respect anyone who rob from us, and harm us.
Please Please Mr. Formaru come over soon we need your help badly.
Yes, the only time they can agree on anything is when fancy cars and bag loads of money start flashing in front of them.
What are these guys in for? Obviously they do not care about the country, economy or its people.
Protest until they resign.
Anarchy is what we will give these scum.
These self-elected filthy foul mouthed Brats. We ought to teach these ignorant, arrogant self-loathing smooth talkers a lesson they would feign never forget.
A revolution of the people is on the horizon. This assembly of self-interest must be rounded up and hanged by a noose. A revelation from the people must happen before these businessmen clothed as elected voices of the people get away with the biggest heist in the history of this country.
Its daylight robbery i tell you. And they are getting away.
The president shall decree that Majlis salaries and perks shall be set by him or his office.
@moyameehaa, i fully support your view. You sound very sane to me.
President should use his emergency powers and suspend the constitution, dissolve the parliament and call for fresh majlis election...DO IT NOW
You idiot, Makloof u dont have to pay money to the people to get the vote. When you stop doing that you will not have to complain about being in debt. When u are in debt, u don't have to put the country in debt. We are not your lending agents.
You Reeko, bringing shame on MDP
All parliamentarians who are not financialy capable should resign.
Thank you Mahloof for submitting the amendment. It is true that there are people always waititing outside the residents of Mp's. Qasim, Shiyam..etc can afford to help all of them,. But the guys without own business cant help them all. I support what Mahloof spoke in parliament today. Thats the truth. If you all wanna check their accounts , you should do. The only way to stop this could be to pass a law, to prevent people running after Mp's for money
@Ali:
"The only way to stop this could be to pass a law, to prevent people running after Mp’s for money"
NO! The ONLY way to stop this is to ENFORCE the law forbidding MPs giving money (BRIBES) to people in the name of aid! This is how they buy their votes. This is BRIBERY!
"MPs clashed with each other forcing speaker Abdulla Shahid to cancel today’s sitting"
Hahaaaa! Yet another PRODUCTIVE day in Parliament eh?
So, the Police is supposed to give them 24/7 protection, so they can go inside Parliament chambers and behave like chimpanzees? Sheesh!
shame on majlis, where is Adaalat, why you are not calling for a nation wide protest this time. Are you also taking part in this corruption? huh you called for nation wide protest when three israel doctors came to treat poor people Now what what...Selfish huh everything is just for vote..You got lot of attention bcaz of that..Now i can see how much u care people and Islam...Greedy fellas.
We have been fooled these cowards.. Hats off..but never again remember that
How does what MP get rotates in the local economy? Probably in the global economy…….. Pubs in Sri Lanka, Thailand and brothels. The fake corrupted ignorant MPS whom they are fooling.
lets not get stuck on this RF20,000 pay hike alone. what about the other outrageous demands they have? have they no love for this nation of ours? we should start a campaign to make sure these people are never elected again. NEVER EVER!
I hear this was organized by Sarangey to garner support for his candidacy!
@heck
Its good sarangey organized all this. Saragey is a national hero for trying to stop daylight robbing of the masses by silly chimpanzees who got elected for the majlis by silly masses who were brainwashed for 30 long years.
If more money will solve the problems, we must give all these chimps 1/77th of the whole budget and everything will be fine.