PA to boycott Presidential address to parliament

MPs from the People’s Alliance (PA) party have said they will boycott the speech to be given by President Mohamed Nasheed at the first parliamentary session of 2011.

”PA believes that the Presidential address Nasheed gave during the first sitting of the first session of 2010 was not given as stated in article 84 of the constitution,” said the PA in a statement.

Article 84 of the constitution says that at the beginning of the first parliament session of each year, the President shall address the Majlis on the state of the country, as well as present proposals for trying to improve the nation.

The PA stated that rather than giving Nasheed’s presidential address as a speech based on the state of the nation and proposals to improve the state, his last opening address was based on threatening opposition figures.

”The presidential address was a hopeless speech, thus a speech that threatened the citizens,” said the party in the statement.

PA alleged that the president had attempted to smear the respect and sanctity of parliament and also attempted to make the pubic lose confidence in their the MPs.

The party recalled the arrest of Jumhoory Party leader and MP Gasim Ibrahim, as well as PA Leader and MP Abdulla Yamin, claiming the president misused the power of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to detain them.

Criminal charges against the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MPs Ali Waheed and Mahlouf were said to be politically motivated, the party alleged.

”Moreover, he [the president] made false accusations about MPs, made the entire cabinet resign, called MPs ‘wild animals’, attempted to run the government with a cabinet that does not have the consent of the parliament and made the parliament face obstacles in conducting its work fully,” claimed the PA. ”[Nasheed] gave warnings about all this during his presidential address [in 2010].”

The PA also claimed that the current government has always violated the constitution and laws.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News that the decision of the opposition parties were against the national spirit.

”It is the constitutional duty of the president, not something that is initiated by the government,” said Zuhair. He added that the President will give his presidential speech regardless of whether members of the opposition boycotted it.

Zuhair said ”that means the opposition started to use National Ceremonies as political tools.”

”If they boycott the presidential address, they are betraying the citizens,” he said. ”They are the symbols of the citizens.”

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10 thoughts on “PA to boycott Presidential address to parliament”

  1. If they choose to boycott the opening of Parliament then they should be excluded for a year, the occasion is as much for the people they allegedly represent and they have a right to see their MP represent them properly.

    Truth is these idiots represent no-one but their corrupt and greedy selves, always did.

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  2. $800 million ... Yamin, Someday we the people of Maldives is gonna get you... Someday.. Be sure to live a posh life for now and enjoy as much as you can. It's not now that we will run after you. It will be when you grow old and when you and the puppets you have at the Judiciary and near you will have no ground here.. It will be when there is no Anni, No Maumoon and No you.. The new generation of Maldives will get you...

    Where ever you maybe on this planet. We will hunt you down... Like Gaddafi... We will bring you down...

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  3. Well, well, if my information is correct, PA's leader has boycotted most meetings of Parliament. So why the fuss over the opening?

    Are these clowns still gettting paid even though they turn up to do their legally binding duties?

    They should have their pay deducted, if they boycott a Parliamentary session. If this was enforced, I'm 100% sure they'll NEVER EVER boycott a single session!

    The PA boys are feeling the heat at the moment. Yaameen's illegal oil dealings with Burma have recently surfaced. The list of cases against Jangiyaa Nazim keeps on growing.

    How dare Jangiyaa claim that the goverment is "threatening" him. If he has nothing to hide then how can he feel "threatened"? Everyone who knows this guy know full well, that he did not legitimately earn the millions he has. Almost overnight this guy turned into a millionaire from nothing. He was on a tiny government salary like the rest of us. His parents didn't have money and he didn't inherit any money either. In broad daylight, this guy robbed the public coffers, and now has the nerve to cry about the government "threatening" him! What a coward!

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  4. Nasheed and Yameen are just playing games with each other. Like we find it amusing.

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  5. Members of Parliament are elected to represent us, Maldivians, in parliament. It is their Constitutional obligation to attend sittings of parliament and its committees. President Nasheed is the current elected Head of Government and State, weather PA likes it or not. PA is not disrespecting President Nasheed but the people of Maldives.

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  6. Perhaps Pres. Nasheed does not see it this way but if I had to give an important speech, the last thing I would want to see would be Yameen's face to put me off for such a ceremonius occassion,

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  7. i would not be surprised if this was a massive relief for Anni

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  8. So?? what??
    You guys just missed a day at the Parliment... thats all.

    But dont worry, you will be paid oin full for the day

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