The fractured main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) is no longer the majority party in parliament with its coalition with minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) on the verge of collapsing, claims ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group Leader “Reeko” Moosa Manik.
“I am very sad that they have broken the coalition,” Moosa told reporters outside parliament today. “They [DRP MPs] have said as much in the media. But they are hesitant to show that in the Majlis registry. They are still waiting. If so, [DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali] won’t be Majority Leader anymore. I am the parliament’s Majority Leader now.”
Of the 77 MPs in parliament, the MDP currently has 33 MPs to the DRP’s 27 and PA’s seven.
The MDP MP for Hulhu-Henveiru suggested that his party’s new majority was evident in this week’s vote on ministerial appointees after Home Minister Hassan Afeef was narrowly approved in spite of the DRP declaring that it would reject three nominees.
Meanwhile PA Leader Abdulla Yameen, half-brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, revealed on private broadcaster DhiTV last week that the party would be reviewing its coalition agreement with the DRP – which “exists only in name” – in light of recent events.
In a move that strained the relationship further, PA Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim recently sued DRP Leader Thasmeen in Civil Court to recover almost Rf2 million (US$155,000) allegedly owed to him.
Internecine strife
Moosa’s remarks today come a day after DRP Deputy Leader Ali Waheed publicly called upon the party’s council not to “maintain a coalition [with PA] only in name.”
Referring to yesterday’s vote on approving members to the Broadcasting Commission, Waheed alleged that the PA together with the ‘Gayoom faction’ MPs struck a deal with the MDP to vote through an agreed upon list.
Moosa however denied the allegations of collusion with the PA, claiming that “the only deal we will make them is an agreement for a [formal] coalition.”
Yesterday’s parliament sitting grew heated during the vote on members to the Broadcasting Commission when DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf broke the party’s three-line whip on the fifth nominee, prompting Waheed to raise a point of order demanding to know whether the voting machines were malfunctioning.
After repeatedly advising the Thohdhoo MP to take his seat and then ordering him out, Speaker Abdulla Shahid called a short recess when Waheed refused to leave the chamber.
Waheed revealed afterward that three nominees chosen by the DRP were defeated in yesterday’s vote.
The intensifying allegations and counter-allegations highlight the growing distrust between the rival opposition factions, split between supporters of DRP Leader Thasmeen and loyalists of former President Gayoom.
Earlier this week, DRP MP Ali Azim accused the PA and Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim of conspiring to send two DRP MPs abroad ahead of Monday’s vote on cabinet appointments.
Gasim told newspaper Haveeru yesterday that he was not obliged to follow the DRP’s whip line, putting the accusations down to “failure to digest their internal problems,” adding that “those feelings are now exploding like a bomb.”
The former presidential candidate asserted that “if we elect a government it should also have a cabinet.”
Gasim had abstained in the vote on Hassan Afeef while he had voted for Transport Minister Adil Saleem.
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I am a majority citizen too, Moosa is crazy
One day moosa will say I am the leader of Maldives now.
No Reeko. You're a Master of the Universe.
Ibrahim Yasir is a pea nut brain made in the 30 years by ex-dick-traitor Gay-yoom? YES, YOU ARE! We'd see some others like him from time to time with their remarkable comments.
These delusional guys together with this Gay-yoom, who's a total pyhsco, think still the president is Gay-yoom.
Some guys are totally brain-washed with Gay-yoom’s hate mongering towards democracy and non-Muslims.
So says gaddafi as well.
think of us, the citizen. its high time you'll put things right so that the people will benefit.
This guy is a big mouth and cheat, he has not even one gramme of leadership in his entire body. He just spews out nonsense and only a fool would listen.
He has done nothing for the country only himself and his own bulging pocket, It is tie all bogus MP's get out and let decent people show them the way.
look how Maumoon has destroyed the DRP to the government's advantage. The senile old fool.
Hey Reeco Moosa, who are you to claim the powers? Have you forgot that Almighty Allah created you? You don't have any value in front of the citizens. Yes you don't. Can I tell you the reason? You are a street rat who was playing films and Hindi copy songs for less than MRF 1,500. You were hanging behind the ran'di girls in the songs. Cheat fellow. Shame on you.
Fear the wrath of Allah. See how he destroyed the disbelievers, the great Pharaoh of Egypt and his minister Haman and his treasurer Qaroon.
Haven't you seen the body of the former prime minister of Israel Ariel Sharon?
Allah will curse the human beings who challenge him. Allah is the greatest. There is no living creature which can challenge Allah.
I call Reeco Moosa Manik to get repent and follow the Sharia of Allah.
Oh reeko, you were made by qayyoom. You were nothing but an idiot loafiing around bitches infront of the camera. strange some ignorant people of maldives believe you are a politician. its all the curse of anni who has done this to the ignorant fraction of the maldives. to some of the atheists like'Ah' here.
When is this film coming to Olympus?
@ John
On all your comments so far...
You who speaks so righteously from your high platform in the name of Allah, why do you use a biblical name and why do you preach in a tone Mohamed (SAW) would never use. Why is your heart so full of hate, why do you use language (street rat) that is not used in Qoran, nor in the revelations or to be used by "Muslim". If you want to gives God's message should you not be humble, understanding and compassionate. You disgrace Islam.