Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza has claimed the constitution of the Maldives gives too many powers to parliamentarians, and accused them of ”demolishing” it.
MP Hamza said the constitution narrowed both presidential power and the power of the judiciary in favour of parliament.
”The powers are split into three so one power can compel another to act with responsibility,” MP Hamza said, ”but today we are seeing something different – we see the parliamentarians trying to take over the presidential powers.”
MP Hamza said the constitution very clearly stated the responsibilities of each power.
”However, the parliamentarians are trying to narrow the presidential powers,” MP Hamza said, ”for instance, some parliamentarians are trying to take the power of proposing names and appointing people for independent commissions, which actually is a power of the president.”
He said that the power of appointing people for the government’s media and Civil Service Commission (CSC) was also sought by the parliament.
He condemned a bill proposed to the parliament by Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed, which he claimed was trying to take over the power of appointing people for senior posts in the armed forces.
Deputy leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Umar Naseer said that what Hamza said was ”certainly true.”
”But he does not mean that DRP MPs, he was speaking about MDP MPs,” Umar said. ”There are such bills proposed by MDP MPs recently, but I can’t recall them immediately.”
Umar said that the presidential powers should be narrowed “because when a sword is given to a silly person, people should establish ways to manage it.”
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A President like Nasheed who openly threatens to show the opposition how nasty a guy he is, should be removed from power. If this cannot be done, then at least he should be contained by removing most of his powers. The opposition is doing an excellent job for the sake of humanity.
How come this man Umar Naseer is consulted on every issue in politics in the country? Aren't there more qualified people than this uneducated man?
The bickering aside,there is a reason why the President is the Commander-in-Chief. While the Majlis should have Parliamentary Oversight Committees for the armed forces, there is absolutely NO reason why they should be able to appoint people to it. The Majlis is the LEGISLATIVE branch of the government. It is up to the executive to provide enforcement and it is the sole responsibility of the President to provide for the military protection of the people. The Parliament can only be responsible for possible corruption and ensuring against mismanagement.
I'm 100% with Hamza on this. To usurp Presidential powers bodes ill for us all. It will make our country weaker and our system of government far more messy. And what is more is that this is but the first step in putting the lives and security of our nation in danger. All for political gain.
Umar is from 1930's... he is a bit backwards for this generation.
Dear minivan news journalists, please try to get second views from a more experienced/educated person than umar naseer next time.
the guy is a fool and doesn't even remember what he says, how can he remember bills proposed by any party???
Imagine how it would be with him in the parliament or in a powerful position!
this guy once said "you know bush (scratching his head) was the one who brought democracy to America!!!"
I do agree with Hamza, but lets go back and check why the system is failing. When MDP won the Presidential election, they mis read why and how they won. The win was never a emotional support to MDP but support for a change in leadership. For the parlimentary election MDP was too personal against the opposition and even the president Nasheed himself once said in public, his party's nomination are the best in the world. Next just b4 election MDP Govt targeted direct to Gayoom. All these angered the opposition and backfired the game play for MDP when they lost majority in the parliament.
The role of DRP as an opposition is not doing in the best interest of the country but same goes to MDP as well.
Both DRP & MDP MP memebers have their ego against one another and thus the system is failing and the people are suffering.
In our kind of culture if the opposition is strong you will find hard to rule the country.
To my beleif DRP will continue to hold majority and therefore for the best interest of the nation MDP will have to make dialogue and friendly aproach to DRP. Current rebelliouse aproach will only cause more harm than good.
Wealth and money has played the most decicive roles in the Maldivian politics. It has been so in the past 30 years of the previous government. We were given the impression that the changing of the governemnt and embracing of democracy would change the low morale. It has not.
Still the Maldivian public votes are up for sale. The atolls and the islanders are controlled by the wealthy businessmen in Male. The political parties and the Parliament is in the control of the businessmen. The government is straining its fight against corruption against the ever continuing pressure from the businessmen who does not know how to carryout normal businesses without corruption. Even if the politicians and the government has changed, the business community of this country has a past history of corruption and they have not changed. Poor Maldives, but its entertaining. These are the days of Ramaan Ramaan foali.
Mr. Hamza. What about subverting the infant democracy of Maldives by business men.
Why are the businessmen in the parliament anyway?