Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said that a “very special rally” will be held on Saturday night at the Artificial Beach, where the party will give everyone ‘’a big surprise again.’’
The party did not give much detail about the ‘’surprise’’, but suggested that it would be similar to events such as the recent signing of opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader and MP Ali Waheed and DRP MP Abdu-Raheem.
Former MDP Spokesperson Ahmed Haleem said Saturday night would be “historic”.
‘’The whole Maldives will change this night,’’ Haleem said. ‘’I can’t tell you the details of this event.’’
Queried whether a high profile politician might join the party that night he confirmed that some ‘’political figures’’ are to join.
Haleem said on Saturday people “will know which political party has the most support.”
Recently DRP MP Waheed, DRP MP Abdulla Abdu-Raheem and DRP Sports Wing head Haasan Shuaju, and well known football player Ahmed Assad ‘Adubarey’ joined MDP.
President’s Spokesperson Mohamed Zuhair and MDP Parliamentary Group’s Media Coordinator Mohamed Shifaz did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.
Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid today announced that parliament’s majority leader was now ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, leader of the MDP Parliamentary group.
Currently MDP has a total oof 35 MPs, however, DRP’s former Deputy Leader Umar Naseer has predicted that “very soon MDP will lose two MPs.”
Umar claimed that MDP MP Mohamed Muthafa and MDP MP Hassan Adil would lose their seats. Both MPs have cases pending in court, the former regarding corruption, the later charges of child molestation.
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corruption , corruption and corruption .. We won't be surprised as we know its all about corruption.. u may buy MP's but not the citizens.. we will vote in 2013
I'm guessing its a high profile person like Speaker of parliament Abdulla Shahid. Having distanced himself from Zaeem and Z-faction, working alongside Thasmeen while he could not lead the party, its about time Shahid made a move. And MPD is the ideal move for him, I think.
If support is weighed by the money spent on buying MPS then bravo MDP has the highest support in Maldives. It is shame that all the institutions that public is financing is just staying quiet while rampant corruption by state is happening on broad day light.
Where is the International community who advocates human rights , democracy and good governance?? So sad for the poor Maldivians who lives in isolated islands where they do not get three daily meals where politicians are spending their wealth for their political satisfaction.
And I heard Finance minister went to seachelles on state budget while we are suffering the very immature decision of the crawling band he implemented.
may be abdulla shahid is one of them
He! He! No one will be surprised. It is just the news of all the members of Thasneem faction joining MDP, one by one. Ha! Ha! It is expected. Than la la laa..
@Iraj
"So sad for the poor Maldivians who lives in isolated islands where they do not get three daily meals..."
Well, well, good attempt at feeling sorry about our fellow islanders. However, have we forgotten who elected these clowns into office? Politicians and Members of Parliament got there because we voted them in. Poor islanders don't have anyone else but themselves to blame!
Those poor islanders should have given more thought when they voted in elections. Those 3 square meals should have been at the top of their mind instead of the crunchy new Rufiyaa notes that were handed out at the time! Too late to cry over spilt milk, I'm afraid.
"Former MDP Spokesperson Ahmed Haleem said Saturday night would be historic."
The former spokerperson may also say, that it may rain gold on Saturday night! Who cares? He has about as much credibility as a sea urchin on Male reef.
If another MP switches sides, then we can all just yawn, and get back to searching for our daily bread. Yep, corruption is rife all around. MDP, DRP, PA, DQP, Z-DRP, XYZAFLDJFLDJ are all at it! Like I said, we have to blame no one but ourselves for this mess.
You can't beg now from the "International Community" to save you. This is self inflicted.
I think Thasmeen's faction will join forces with MDP to ammend the constitution so:
1. Maumoon will be explicitly declared to have had 4 terms and therefore will not be able to run for presidency again and
2. His financial support will be massively reduced and also a clause put in so if he is still active in politics, he will no longer receive any from his pension scheme.
I so wish they would do this and since more than 2/3 of the Majlis now have this in their interest why not they go ahead and do this...?
f**king sacrilege! its all disgusting!
"... u may buy MP’s but not the citizens.. we will vote in 2013"
The people are cheaper, just ask Yameen, they have less than 2,500 members in their party, yet bagged 7 seats, for which everyone is paying dearly. The people who voted for Yameen and PA wanted a few bags of cement, which they got for their vote, what right do these people have to complain now?
As for the surprise - although I'd like the govt agenda to go ahead, the Orwellian spectacle of ex opposition MPs, suddenly miraculously seeing light of day, change the tune of their song is just insulting to me. So unless it's Zeday himself jumping out of a cake in a gold laced bikini- don't call it a surprise.
if shahid wishes to cling on to the mujlis chair & perks, cannot resist signing the dotted line!
@HassanK
I agree with the 1st point of yours, i.e. amending the Constitution to expressly prohibit ANYONE from running for the top job after having completed more than 2 terms since the dawn of time!
After all, the last changes to the Constitution were "amendments" and it wasn't a brand new Constitution, which means the provisions of the Constitution will apply to Gayyoom as well. Majlis just needs to expressly put words to that effect, so that Gayyoom will not be able to use old excuses.
I don't agree with your second point. Gayyoom deserves his Constitutional right for a pension and state protection. Whether he continues in politics, goes on fishing or whatever else is his business. We don't have the right to dictate what he should do with his time! We just need to ensure he doesn't claim the right to the top job again.
It's Nasheed!
Hope this big event is not the reason Velezinee was ousted (if she was)
This is nothing but 'Shopping of MPs by MDP'. Butterfly politics in Maldives, just like our neighbours. No one is here for the people. All of them are thinking of themselves and are selfish. Che pecatto.
Me also thinks it might be Rozaina and co. They have already hinted about shifting sides due do drp internal turmoil, haven't they?
Minivan News, please get your facts right. MP Musthafa's case is not about corruption, but it is about an outstanding debt against a company in which he has ownership interest. SHEESH!!!
This is 3rd world democracy. You can buy and sell votes, MPs and institutions.
At this rate of opposition MPs joining MDP the real surprise will be MDP becomes top heavy, topple down and become the OPPOSITION PARTY of Maldives !!!
Bravo MDP - try and change the following ASAP
1. MBC - either cancel the whole thing or remove the board
2. Reduce or Cancel the huge allowances to Zaeem
3. Catch all the thugs/ drug dealers and put them in jail
4. Bring more investments and streamline business in Maldives.
5. Take back all the islands which were given to develop and give it to those who has money
@Fareed
"This is 3rd world democracy. You can buy and sell votes, MPs and institutions."
3rd world democracy? You must be living under a rock. Votes and MPs can be bought ANYWHERE in the world. However, in the 1st world they have "lobby" groups, "interest" groups etc. Just take a look at the political lobby groups of American and Western Europe. They are nothing but a facade for buying votes and politicians.
Welcome to democracy!
@Bin Suvadheeb is correct.
Just telling you that being here in Australia, it happens all the time. Our State Premiere, Mr. Brian Burke his name was, went to jail for it.
As I said, Machiavelli’s advice that a ‘Prince’ always must have religious sentiment and golden words dripping from his lips like nectar, yet should never be moved by compassion or moral concern, is also followed here, though our 'religious sentiment' is couched in terms such as worker's right's, liberal rights etc...
Look at the plight of our Indigenous population and the refugees in detention here.
I will say something I have said before. One cannot gain political power without a bit of cunning and deceipt at times. A politician here in Australia told me this, and he said that our General Public would be surprised to know the extent of it. This world is a very power hungry place and if you actually observe it closely you would notice that with so many doing so much to gain power, to gain power, even for promoting good, you have to do what it takes.
It it the cruel ethical paradox that every compassionate person has to deal with in order to actually gain the power to use their compassion.
So we see MDP engaging in some vote buying etc...
I don't believe that President Nasheed is a pure realist for doing this.
I believe, as I said, one can discern the difference between a person being deceiptful for the purpose of power alone (power for the sake of power) as opposed to a person being deceiptful, bribing, seeking power for the sake of humanity.
I said before, I believe one can tell the difference by the extent to which one is capable of enduring suffering, rejection, humiliation for their goals, as power for the sake of it will only take you so far.
Nasheed (President) is doing what he has to, because he is a true soldier of the cause of humanity.
I trust him because, a man who has been tortured the way he has, and still speaks of forgiveness and 'not going on a witch hunt' is truly a soul seeking compassion.
If he was motivated by power for the sake of power, I guarentee he would have been able to endure the torture he went through for so long. If he were shallow, he would have yielded. He did not.
He is a realist when he has to be, as this article and the commentators reveal, but he is a true soldier, able to wage a war of personal endurance for his ppl.
Of course, power corrupts, but I don't believe that these buying's reveal MDP as a purely power hungry party at all.
To pass important economic and humanitarian bills, for all Maldivians (fighting corruption, gangsters etc, minimum wages as a few examples) MDP needs the support of more MP's, and for YOUR sake, they are forced to do WHATEVER the hell it takes to get it!
This is, reality.
@correction: if Pres. Nasheed was seeking power for the sake of power, he would "NOT" have been able to have endured so much torture, it is not enough motivation to inspire such incredible endurance.
It is disgusting to see the level of greed for money and power!
Ben Plewright - what justifications!! Wow im utterly shocked to read the B.S you have written here. You are really one hell of an Anni worshipper! C'mon its our sweat and blood that brought Anni to power. We got rid of Golhabo in the hope that Anni would do a good job. We didnt get rid of Gayoom and his gang to give the opportunity to Anni to use our hard earned money to buy Golha's corrupt lot.
@rajab rajab eid Yeah it is disgusting, politics IS. That is why I could never be a politician, I can only talk about it, because I could never be so greedy and disgusting, BUT that is what politics is...reality is ugly my friend, we have to become strong to fight it!
@rajab rajab eid I am really moved that you are as outraged by greed as I am,
"C’mon its our sweat and blood that brought Anni to power. We got rid of Golhabo in the hope that Anni would do a good job."
He's doing a terrible job, so lets get rid of him and bring back Golhabo.
Too much red meat every day, and every day is like an election in MDP stands. When are they going to serve the people for the election they won.
@rajab rajab
"C’mon its our sweat and blood that brought Anni to power."
Let's take your words at face value. Can you spell out exactly what sacrifices you personally made to get Anni to power? We all know the sacrficies Anni made with his life. He also had the opportunity to live a prosperous, peaceful life in a Western country, but he chose not to take that.
I am tired of hearing all this sweat and blood bollocks. Running a country, one even as tiny as the Maldives is a tough job. There is no "Idiots Guide to Running the Maldives", that one can read (you'd think that such a title does actually exist from the comments on this and other news sites). Being an armchair politician, economist, general or even a Mullah is a piece of cake.
This isn't about Anni worshipping either. What I find amusing is how "democracy" is understood or NOT understood by a large percentage of the population. I don't doubt that there are shady deals going on. However, it will be much harder for those deals to remain hidden, unlike in the past.
I HATE Machiavellianism with a fierce passion, I hate the whole idea of seeking power rather than seeking the good of humanity! I hate it.
But, as I had said before, politics is dirty! PPL are evil, and sometimes, the only way to get the support to pass anti-gangster legislation, for example, is to bribe the MP's higher bid than the gangsters are offering!
I was not saying President Nasheed is a Machiavellian, of course he is the opposite of that, a John Stuart Mill version Liberal. What I was saying was that, when one is trying to create a just system where everyone else is SO DAMNED WELL EVIL, if it takes slightly unethical means to do so, then if there is no other alternative, it has to be done.
Pres. Nasheed needs support to pass a tax bill not just for the businesses, but for the ppor as well. Social Stability has to be there for economic stability, for the success of businesses as well.
Yet, if he can not pass these bills because certain businesses are bribing MP's to support their stance against it, then the ordinary ppl would be really wounded. In desparation to support the ordinary, IF there is bribery happening (I just realized I started believing there was without even getting proof we don't even know what the big event is because it never happened!) then, I believe Anni would only do that if he felt forced to do it!
By the way, I may be wrong about Anni, power may have corrupted him, I might be a naive fool. He was humanitarian in his activist days, or else he would not have endured so much.
But if I find out he is now corrupted by power, and sadly, this looks like it MAy have happened judging by some certain things I have heard, I think, hmmm, find a good alternative, but not Yameen.
What about Ibra?
Or what about a leader from Addu, change the dynamics so someone WOULD do something for the good of Addu and not just talk!
Ben, u jsut told a big lie. You are neither moved nor outraged by greed. You were only defending the attempts by Anni to buy over the Golha lot.
@rajab rajab eid: You are DEEPly deeply deeply mistaken about me not being enraged by greed, sorry, DEEEPLY DEEPLY DEEPLY DEEPLY DEEPLY wrong...I will tell you my story you would understand, I will submit it as a letter to minivan if you want to know it.
Yes, I can admit maybe I was over the top in Anni worshipping, but, that is a painful story for me as well. I may have made a mistake there, on THAT you are right, but on me not being against greed, I am really sad, if you felt my pain, my anger against greed, you would be sad you said that.