Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party-People’s Alliance (DRP-PA) coalition has filed a case in the Supreme Court seeking a court order to declare that ministers who did not receive parliamentary consent should be removed their posts.
The case was filed at the Supreme Court by DRP Deputy Leader MP Ali Waheed and PA Deputy Leader Moosa Zameer.
Former Attorney General and DRP Council Member Azima Shukoor will argue the opposition’s case in court.
PA Secretary General Ahmed Shareef told Minivan News today that the constitution was very clear on the matter: ”Parliament’s consent is required for cabinet ministers to remain in their position. It is the spirit of the constitution.”
He added that the minutes of the Special Majlis debates on the issue adds weight to the opposition’s position.
”It is unlawful for those in the cabinet who did not get consent of parliament to remain in their positions,” he added.
Following weeks of political stalemate, parliament voted this week voted to approve five out of 12 cabinet ministers reappointed by President Mohamed Nasheed in July.
After MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) boycotted the sitting before voting began, the remaining MPs voted against the nominees Finance Minister Ali Hashim, Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfy, Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, Fisheries Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi, Home Minister Mohamed Shihab, Defence Minister Ameen Faisal and Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad.
The government however insists that as none of the ministerial appointees received 39 votes against – the majority required to pass a no-confidence motion – all cabinet members shall remain in their posts.
Meanwhile, Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed, Legal Reform Minister under the former government, told Minivan News yesterday that the dispute over cabinet endorsement highlighted “defects” in the process.
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Way to go.
MDP is failing miserably in getting the looted money by the former rulers, back to us citizen and at the same time they are failing to bring the torturers of last regime to justice.
No one seems to talk about the rogue who looted FPID either, Why?
DRP-PA, While you are working very hard to settle the Ministers affair could you please help the citizens of this country to get back the money looted by the former rulers back to us Citizens and torturers to justice.
DRP-PA don’t seems to be at all interested in getting the looted money to the citizens or bringing the tortures to Justice at all, why?
DRP have always loved the Maldives Courts-- that's where they had Masodi Naseem sentenced to jail for importing diving equipment, Anni for importing a firecracker designed to blow up Dharubaaruge, and Ilyas Ibrahim for getting a groin massage. What all they did was threaten Gayoom. Today, Gayoom has no power. But his associates had skimmed off over 400,000 million dollars from oil trading alone, and that is a lot of money throw around to get the Courts to give them a verdict of their choice! The question is, why is isn't Anni trying to get the money back?
A very valid point, "Why?".
We have lost enormous amounts physically, financially, emotionally, professionally, etc; by the looters and torturers. There's nothing even remotely close, that they are blabbing about current ministers.
If DRP-PA are so concernced, as a citizen I demand and challenge to bring to justice the people who took the Maldivian citizens' money and tortured them.
And those who are being used to make stupid announcements by them, please get a life and don't be used as disposable $@$%#^%$*&s
Minivan News should take care not to use government when referring to the Executive (or President Nasheed’s Administration).
Democracy in infancy and democratic concepts unfamiliar, most Maldivians (in office and out) are yet to understand Government translates to both “Verikan” and “Sarukaaru” in Dhivehi language.
And “Verikan” is done by all three powers – Executive/Administration (Sarukaaru) + Parliament (Majlis) + Judiciary (Fandiyaaruge).
“Heyo Verikan” I would think refers to Good Government = Accountability, Transparency and Rule of Law in all 3 powers as well as independent accountability commissions and positions of the State.
This is not about wats in the Constitution. This is about political grandstanding and trying to bring the Government of Nasheed to its knees. DRP and PA will continue their tantrums until a cabinet of DRP and PA members are constituted by the President.
If they were serious about their claims that people who were qualified and "good for the job" and did not threaten the qawm, then i wonder how in the world MAhmood Raazee made it?? he is teh chair of the Privatisation Committee and responsible for the so-called "selling of the country" to foreigners! Secondly how did Aslantey make so many votes? DRP needs him to build all the harbours? Bary is an easy one. Its ideological support from DRP. They would not dare not give support to the Islamic Minister.
and the circus continues...
unfortunately, it is us people on the street who have to pay the bills from the hard earned money! and yet the civil servants are in the situation where their salary for the month of january is now not guaranteed cos the budget has been stalled.
@Why?
Looted money? FPID? Sato? Holiday Inn? Traders Hotel Male'? Shangrilla Maldives? Sold for $42 million? Good deal?
what people are interested is the current status of our country - not Gayoom's 30 years. Anni has failed to deliver his promises : housing, health, education, ..etc.
Of course, many people are interested in the previous government affairs. But those who got the benefits and still interested to give power to the former elites are not interested.There are lot of citizens who are interested about unsettled affairs and actions by the previous government (30 yrs). The current government actions will be evaluated in the next election. Most people are and must be interested to what happened to our country and people for the previous 30 years than the last 2 years. That is where we can find the main answer to our situation, performance and outcome of today. With proper information and experience, we can take better actions for the future. The future situation can tell us whether the current government is a failure or not? Right now we can only speculate the outcome and is likely to jump in to conclusions.
Sack Parliament and have a closely scrutinized election process where candidates have to communicate and truly 'win' their votes rather than pay state money for them.
Make MP's truly accountable for their actions and for this nation's sake, sort out the judiciary and let's stick all lawbreakers where they deserve, prison and unable to stand for office again.
Corruption it seems is no longer a disease, but the norm, sort yourselves out ladies and gentlemen before we do it for you.
... and when they run out of argument, they turn to 30 years.
@Ali, I agree with you. DRP/PA will not be happy till the ministers are appointed from our stock. Put your hand up if you want me to be the next Education Minister. I am a jack of all trades having failed as a principal, an atoll Chief and a permanent Secretary. I like people to see me as a reformist though I support the biggest crooks in the country.
read this. Has Nasheed's government really failed?
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/?page=details&id=103722&category=irWfwyiv
Everywhere I look I see hope for people like us...yes the "raahjetherey meehun."
we are all lost in translation!...really...we are
its almost as if we are all speaking different language! its almost as if we all want different things. what is a loaf of bread to a DRP member and an MDP member.
The only difference between all of us is the hunger for power - and the public are vitcims of this circus orchestrated by all the leaders parties involved in creating this huge mess - MDP included
Everyone goes on about the public being the victims. What a load of bull shit! The public are responsible for electing these idiotic MPs in the first place. The public deserve what they get.
I don't see the public complaining much. The public has taken the bribes from these MPs when they got elected. The public are keeping all very quiet about what's going on! Why? They've all been bribed very nicely, thank you very much.
Do you think the associates of Maumoon are so stupid to keep the money they skimmed, in their bank accounts? If that's the case, then I guess the money would have been secured already.
I agree with Ahmed.
The public appointed these MPs. Some of them down right stupid.
Yes. The public needs to learn from experience. And this, they are getting good.
If the opposition is so sincere to make this nation a better place, why is it that they didn't order an instant investigation into the person who threw away an innocent baby soon after giving birth? Why is it that they do not stand up and work in improving the morality of the citizens? It's all crap! They also want power, nothing but power and fat pockets.
@Thalabe, I'm glad you've realised what the opposition are all about.
Now, you know why these fat cat MPs like Kutti Nasheed always argue they need to keep their fat salaries to "help" their constituents.
What he actually means is, that the MPs use this money to bribe their constituents. By giving hand outs to their constituents, in fact, they're buying votes. This should be made illegal immediately. No MP should be allowed to hand out funds in the name of "helping" people. The welfare systems is there for this purpose.
The above posts are raising key issues and evidence of frustrations that is ongoing. Yet, attacking each other will not help. What is needed is working together to improve the education, health and social services that are much needed.
The only way to save Maldives is by looking and planning for the future. Learning from the past. People acknowledging their mistakes and not repeating them. Without forgiveness nothing will change. There will only be anger and hatred.
The political game in Maldives is taking toll on the real issues that needs to be addressed. Information is used to confuse the public.
Hope for the best to Maldives
(M)ost (D)isgusting (P)arty does not care what is passed by the representatives of the citizens.
Is this why 25% of Maldivians support MDP?
It seems Anni is in love with AUTOCRACY!
One dicktator out. Another one in.
Hope Supreme Court will rule on this soon and get the country moving again.
@heck
MDP got more votes than DRPA combined for the parliamentary elections. You can check the elections website.
Why don't quote the most recent elections rather than any non recent election to which you pine for? Oh wait - you're DRP.
Miyakee khudhumukhuthaaru verikamehththa?
The cabinet requires parliamentary approval. simple as that. volumes of books could be written about it. Doesn't figure that MDP is cabinet and parliament has come to be DRP..
listen to all the two-faced partisan bull.
somebody please speak truth to power.
@Rinzy
Yes, Rinzy!
Let's hear what the Supreme Court has to say about this Constitutional Crisis.
Anni says that the Ministers can only dismissed by a no confidence vote.
Didn't Anni know that parliamentary consent comes first?
Wait a minute! I get it. People who think they are made of steel and want to rule with an iron fist don't care what comes first or second.
ANNI thinks he is Superman now, with less than 25% of public supporting MDP, he should be ashamed to ignore that, first thing is first.
If this is the case he should wear his trousers first and UNDERWEAR last, like Superman, and then come out if he dares to obey Superman's rule!
If Supreme court's opinion is different from the Parliaments decision, Maldives democracy would be in big trouble. Supreme court would be seen as encroaching the power of Parliament and that would open a NEW front of conflict.
Out of all the comments so far only heck makes some sense, we have a president who still cannot believe he is the president and how he managed to wriggle, squirm and lie to become it, no wonder he keeps repeating himself that he is the commander and chief, stop smokin that stuff commander.
Maldives: a unique democracy run by the Supreme Court, High Court and Superior Courts...
most ministers are rejected on no fundamental basis or principle which can comprehend commonsense. Most of them were rejected for political reasons and as a personal grudge from DRP-PA coalition. Prove us any reasons for rejecting them other than personal grudge and crippling the government.