Parliament voted today 41-34 to approve amendments to the parliamentary rules of procedure to conduct no-confidence votes to impeach the President and remove cabinet members through secret ballot.
Today’s vote passed after a similar proposition was narrowly defeated 39-34 in November.
In October, the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) submitted a no-confidence motion to impeach President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.
The no-confidence motion has however yet to be tabled in the Majlis agenda. Under the rules or standing orders, the President must be given a 14-day notice ahead of the vote.
Today’s vote was won after MPs of the government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) – including respective leaders MPs Gasim Ibrahim and Ahmed Thasmeen Ali – joined MDP MPs to vote in favour of the amendments.
The amendment to the house rules was meanwhile approved after MPs voted in favour of a report (Dhivehi) by the MDP-majority General Affairs Committee, which voted last month in favour of the amendments proposed by MDP MP Ibrahim Rasheed for secret voting.
During today’s debate on the report, MPs of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) contended that the report was tabled in the agenda in violation of Majlis rules and criticised having to vote on the same issue for a second time.
PPM MPs along with some DRP MPs and several Independent MPs argued against secret ballots in parliament and insisted that constituents deserved to know how their MPs vote.
MPs further contended that conducting no-confidence votes through secret ballot would give weight to widespread allegations of corruption levelled against parliament.
Meanwhile, speaking at rally on Thursday night, Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla called MPs who voted in favour of secret ballot “traitors.”
Imran warned that he would “chase after” MPs and the Speaker if the amendments were approved and threatened “direct action”.
“The day that [Speaker Abdulla] Shahid takes a vote to destroy the country is the day that we run after him,” Imran had said.
In an apparent response, Speaker Shahid said in a statement this week that intimidation and threats of force against MPs violated “the spirit of the constitution and democratic principles.”
Article 90(a) of the constitution states, “No member or other person shall be liable to any proceedings in any court, and no person shall be subject to any inquiry, arrest, detention or prosecution, with respect to anything said in, produced before, or submitted to the People’s Majlis or any of its committees, or with respect to any vote given if the same is not contrary to any tenet of Islam.”
While informing MPs of the wishes of the public was part of democratic norms, Speaker Shahid said in his statement that it did not include threats, intimidation and “inflicting psychological or physical harm on MPs.”
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Nice, very nice! This is the best news ever for us since the coup government came to power in Feb.
Now all that we need to do it to get GMR to lubricate the hands of only 9 members. WE win and GMR wins! WOOOOAAHH! this is done! Anni we love you!!
Where is Fahari binti Imran? Probably buying "Fahari" brand shoes to run after the MP's, if not the Singapore High Court...hehehehe...
Lol...I just saw fahari running on Majeedi Magu, wearing a pair of Nike Air shoes.
@Barbarian...LOL!!! XD Faster than the speed of light eh! Is it a bird, is it a plane? NO! Its Super Fahari!
This would backfire on the parliament who already has no credibility with the public.
I bet Waheed would have the last laugh.
" Meanwhile, speaking at rally on Thursday night, Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla called MPs who voted in favour of secret ballot “traitors.”
Imran warned that he would “chase after” MPs and the Speaker if the amendments were approved and threatened “direct action”.
“The day that [Speaker Abdulla] Shahid takes a vote to destroy the country is the day that we run after him,” Imran had said. "
This can never be right!
Imran by now should be behind bars and answering questions and facing justice!
If this was ever said by an ordinary tax payer, he/she would be behind bars, custody being renewed ever 15 days etc., etc.
Government of the traitor Waheed is already guilty of not investigating this criminal act.
A great day for Maldivian democracy.
JP and DRP have shown the strength of smaller parties when headed by strong leadership.
MDP knows that its meager voting strength of 26 is nothing in Parliament without the JP-DRP alliance comprisong of 15 MPs.
The JP-DRP alliance can ensure that the government cannot take a too high-handed approach in dealing with Parliament.
Meanwhile the total voting strength of 41 held by the JP-DRP-MDP alliance is not enough to threaten the Presidency. However Cabinet members can be impeached with ease therefore requiring the government to step more carefully.
The fates of JP, DRP and MDP seem to be tied and perhaps will be so in 2013 as well. Of course, Nasheed as a candidate will not receive the support of the leaders of either JP or DRP. So he is clearly out of the equation.
Get the 52 votes PIG heads
GMR can spend as much money as they want to bribe MPs.
But let us wait & see who will have the last laugh 🙂 Maldivians are famous for accepting bribes and stabbing (the one who pays) in the back!
Now that this is going to be a secret vote, GMR wouldn't be able to know who didn't vote for the no confidence motion after pocketing GMR's money . kekeke 😀
@Ilyas Ahmed
"Maldivians are famous for accepting bribes and stabbing (the one who pays) in the back!"
And so, a mordis thug admits to the fact that they're all hypocrites.
The parliament and MINIVAN NEWS ARE LAME. The only thing "minivan" about this place is that it is minivan form dheen. Materialistic losers looking to run a dying organization