Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will launch a protest against the government’s alleged sale of state assets and property tomorrow night at 9pm at the artificial beach.
According to DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, the purpose of the protest, dubbed “For Sale”, was to “raise our voices against the government’s policy of leasing state assets.”
“This government has sold important state assets such as the international airport, schools and other state assets,’’ he claimed, adding that he did not believe the government would listen before police were forced to use tear gas against protestors.
‘’But we are not going to take it that far on the first night,’’ he added.
“Peace talks”
Umar, along with MPs Ilham Ahmed, Ali Arif and Ahmed Mahlouf submitted a resolution to the DRP council to terminate discussions with the government “until the president gets inside the chart.”
The resolution states that the government routinely disregards both the constitution and legislation passed by parliament.
It also claims that the government secretly and publicly attempted to bribe DRP MPs.
If the DRP council adopts the resolution, the main opposition party will not engage in any discussions with the government until it adheres to the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Act and amendments brought to the Public Finance Act.
Last month, parliament overruled a presidential veto and passed the amendments requiring the government to seek parliamentary approval for any sale or lease of state assets.
Spokesperson for the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group, MP Mohamed Shifaz, argued meanwhile that privatisation and public-private partnerships were the stated policy of the government.
‘’MDP does not have to follow the policy of DRP, they are just afraid that the people may witness the benefits of the privatisation policy’s success,’’ said Shifaz. ‘’DRP is troubling the government instead of making it accountable.’’
Shifaz explained that people protested when the government announced plans to privatise Giyasuddeen School last year.
“But today people complain that there are no seats in Giyasuddeen School because so many people enrolled their kids there after it was privatised,’’ Shifaz said. ‘’Because it was us doing it, DRP was against, if it was done by someone among them, they would have cooperated and supported it.’’
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Hey Umar Naseer - did I miss something? Since when was Maldives a communist state?
Why cant the infamous backbone Mahir file a case against this torturer..... Why...?
back bone Mahir thelhi thelhu hulhubu dhaanee........
This is just Chemical Umar trying to feel important. Ignore him; let him cry.
Umar naseer, reeko moosa gasim & yamyn earn enough per month to luxuriously risk imprisonment briefly. why the frak do you call on working class people for sacrifices? Unanimously (MP's regardless of party) please support bills that help us. Atoll vs provinces? you didn't have any disagreement when deciding your salaries. WHY DO WE VOTE? WHY DO WE VOTE?
If we can oust president & cabinet, we should be able to discard with mp's that earn more than hj
With limited resources privatization of infrastructures like airport and sea port to the country and people. It is not about selling assets. People like Umar Naseer leading oppositions is not good for our country. They are so narrow minded and are like frogs in the well.
Having said this this government lacks experience in such kind of process. Airport bidding process did not follow good governing principles. Minsiter Razee was wearing 4 hats at the time of Bidding process. The PR work to sell to bublic was very poor and it only showed less transparency and more on dictatorial
Correction
With limited resources privatization of infrastructures like airport and sea port is good for the country and people. It is not about selling assets. People like Umar Naseer leading oppositions is not good for our country. They are so narrow minded and are like frogs in the well.
Having said this this government lacks experience in such kind of process. Airport bidding process did not follow good governing principles. Minsiter Razee was wearing 4 hats at the time of Bidding process. The PR work to sell to bublic was very poor and it only showed less transparency and more on dictatorial
If certain members of the former Government did not abuse their ownership or shares of/in the assets of the nation by using the power acquired through that wealth to degrade others, this would not even be an issue. DRP/PA are arguing, Maldivian wealth for Maldivian people.
I agree... But, had they ever used Maldivian wealth to help Maldivian people?
Since when did those rich and wealthy Maldivian's ever care about and share that wealth with Maldivian people!
The grandeur of the Maldivian elite is displayed in a manner which can only be desribed as agressively arrogant.
The pursuit of wealth in the Maldives has been fuelled not by a desire for happiness, but by a deep, deep hunger for social-vengenace by middle classes who, due to social convention have not been able to directly attack the Befulhu' class, but wish to replace them, emulate them, and then take revenge on them by treating them with coldness, disrespect.
It is understandable, however, it had created many problems.
The first problem that the vengeful pursuit of wealth and power no matter how it is acquired creates is the degeneration of norms and values. This spreads as the effect of exploitation, robbery, inhumane like business practices create vengeance and it has a spill over effect.
The poor are abused and treated badly in the process, and they learn that you have to be ruthless to survive, and they learn that the need to be feared is essential. Gangs form, as the oppressed cluster together to pursue belonging, power, and the lost sense of belonging whioch emerges as selfishness ends traditional family and social senses of belonging.
The only value which seems real is the need to be feared, the value of the capacity to instill fear into others to stop being degraded becomes the driving social force.
Even Islam is used to this end, as so many throw away the traditional Islamic values of compassion and tolerance and acquire an extremist form of Islam, one which fees the need to express the anger and hatred created by the social alienation which the culture of selfishness has created. Yes, that is correct. It is not that Mullah's are training in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to indoctrinate Maldivians into extremism. The market for extremism would not exist if the masses were secure, cared for, loved!
Hunger for Al-Qital (fighting) and Al-Qatul (murder) feeds the air...
I could go on, but what person out there does not already know all this?
The point is, someone of the elite should have thought of this twenty years ago or more, and should have realized that by abandoning morality and the ethics of Islam in the pursuit of wealth has cast Maldives into hell!
The only way back, is that the deep, the deep merciful, really really DEEPLY humanitarian social justice essence of Islam has to be revived and restored!
The sense of Adhaalath and Al-Qisas (justice and equity) MUST be restored through genuine compassionate and selfless struggle.
The motive for the pursuit of wealth must be the dignity of the Maldivian rather than the will to power of the individual.
There is a road back to peace...
There is a way to have the dignity of humanity restored without selling the Maldives off, but unfortunately, these elite must prove that they are compassionate, just human beings! Ultimately all wealth belongs to Allah. It is a fitnah, that is, a trial, and if one spends their wealth wisely and humanely, Allah will make that a source of Barakat, of Blessings.
If the elite can prove that they are capable of mercy, justice, compassion and benevolence, the masses will entrust them with the control of the nation's wealth and will rise up against selling the nation.
Mr. 1% vote man, for the sake of humanity and Maldivian's dignity,please step down from politics and learn to drive your submarine and stay that way for the rest of your life, while keeping the submarine's course towards Guraidhoo
It baffles me that DRP, with so many respected, educated, experienced and talented people with intergrity elected Umar Naseer to their leadership.
Where was this infamous Deputy Leader (the failed Leader who could not Lead a party) when 3 corners of Male' was virtually "SOLD" to CHAMPA who literally paid the then government( which is supposedly "us", the peoples ) almost nothing and who sent gifts to all Ministers and did great favours for the GAYYOOMS and Hameeds?
Was he hiding inside an empty carton that contained a washing machine?
Minivan! Why do you have to give this joker this opportunity!!!!
If you want, I would do part time journalism and also find new journalists for Minivan and give you better articles for your readers to read! Please get this joker 'OUT OF OUR DAILY SIGHT'!!!!
Oh Back-bone Maahir the boy with the rotten egg. Did he really smear the Zaeem in front of the western media heh heh haaaaaa then lala la la. Gayyoom Foundation should charge Umaru for allowing it to happen. The guilty failurers: Isthafaa, Ambaree, Adam and Umaru.
I have not been follwing Maldivian politics for a few years, only just started reading about it again recently. So, forgive me for being naive, is Umar Naseer really the deputy head of DRP... One gets the feeling that Maumoon wants his brother Yamin to be next President so encouraged this Umar to be no. 2 in DRP so the opposition would rally behind Yamin. Despite Maumoon saying many times that he feels Thasmeen is the best for the job, Maumoon must have become all dynastic again, thinking his Sons aren't politically popular due to the defeat of the older one by um..Mustafa from Thimarafushi was it?
Its not new to the world what Maldives is attempting to do here and many countries are outsourcing social services and the governments are trying to concentrate on facilitation and regulation which is more the role of governments. Successful partnerships have brought in large investments that governments lack to improve services which are basic to population needs and beyond for economic development
It is important to see it as a tool for development and besides, countries that have developed economically have thrived on international investments.
Having said that this could be one of the many positive approaches to take Maldives onto the next level of development and to compete in the international markets, I do question the politicians' ability to develop policy and apply ethical standards in contracting. We do not want to wait and see. We want no corruption anymore.
Apart from this I have even met state ministers who do not believe cooperatives can be successful and one in fact claimed that there is not one success story of a single cooperative in the world... What a joke!
I think opportunists like Naseer will get less attention if the government was more transparent in handling its privatisation programme. One has to say that the International Airport privatisation programme was a commercial success, but a public relations disaster.
Remember, the country is still reeling from institutional corruption carried out by Gayyoom's regime. People are still very suspicious of ALL government dealings especially involving businesses. President Nasheed needs to educate the people more and publicise his privatisation programme a lot more than he is doing now.
He has been successful in bringing in foreign investors. He has been much less successful in convincing the public of what he is trying to achieve.
Demagogues... they are!
[I hate to say that, but no better description than that]
People, save yourself, equip yourself and your close ones with truth. to save this nation each and every single person can do that little step of "loving the truth" and "spreading the truth".
If you hear a news, be it on media or at coffee table, double check at least before you pass it on to another person. (That's as advised to us humans by Allah in the glorious Quran)
Allah is our protector, to him we shall submit our will.
May Allah bless us all with wisdom and truth
What loaded bull!