Tag: Alhan Fahmy

Resolution on standards of conduct presented to parliament

A resolution governing standards of conduct of MPs has been presented to the parliament by Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed.

MP Nasheed said the objective of the resolution was to establish a standard of conduct for all the MPs with their support, and to see if MPs could follow it.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) member ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik said that the problem in the parliament was not that there was no standard of conduct or law.

”It’s the pressure and anger that one has when they lose the luxury received during a certain administration,” he said. “The law will remain there, but there will still be no control over the parliament.”

He said that he did not support narrowing the rights of MPs as they had to fulfill their responsibilities.

Dhivehi Qaumy Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed condemned the resolution and said he had lost one night’s sleep due to it.

”We have the right to claim whoever presented this bill on judgment day,” he said. ”This resolution takes away all our rights,”

Peoples Alliances MP Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu Bakur said he believed he supported the purpose of the resolution, which was to form a standard of conduct.

”To make good use of our minds means maintaining our discipline,” he said, ”or else we are falling into the category of wild animals.”

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Abdulla Mausoom said he was concerned about the resolution and said he had also lost sleep over it.

”I believe it’s important to pass this resolution,” he said, ”but with some amendments.”

MDP MP Alhan Fahmy said that the resolution should not be brought to the floor.

”It is not a must for us to do as the America’s specific house or how India’s specific place does,” he said. “The people have elected people who have reached the level of conduct they expect in the parliament.”

DRP MP and Vice President Ilham Ahmed said that it was necessary to form a standard of conduct.

”We have witnessed scenes when some people unplugged the microphones in committee room and broke the glass of the name notice board,” he said. ”And it’s embarrassing to say we have also witnessed a scene when an MP pull down his zip.”

He said that to avoid repeat performances, the standard of conduct was necessary.

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”Expat or locals, both are human”: DRP calls on government to reopen water taps

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan has called on the government to reopen the closed public water taps in Malé by the end of this week.

Deputy Head of Malé Municipality Mohamed Arif told Minivan News yesterday that all but four of the 19 taps closed because they were “mostly being used by expats [and] not Maldivians.”

The water taps cost the municipality Rf3.5 million (US$270,000) last year, he said.

Today, Nihan said many people were complaining that the municipality’s decision was causing them difficulty.

”Expat or locals, both are human,” he said. ”Water is a basic fundamental right for any human being.”

”We want the government to keep at least eight taps available,” Nihan said, ”so that two are available for each district.”

He said the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards would not allow a country to keep its public water taps closed.

Nihan said he did not want the water from the taps to be used for car washing or business purposes.

”We are ready to go out on the streets and protest on this issue,” he said. ”If they do not reopen the taps by this week we will come out to the streets and will even take the issue to parliament.”

Nihan said the party was waiting so as to give some time for the government to reverse the decision.

”This shows how incapable and unable the government is to run this country,” he said. “They cannot even manage the public water taps.”

Head of Male’ Municipality Adam Manik said the government “might or might not” reopen four more taps.

”We do not want to know what the DRP wants,” Adam said. ‘We understand what the people want, and so far nobody has complained [to us] that they are having difficulties.”

Adam said there would be enough water available from the four open taps, and that he did not wish to comment on the issue further.

MDP MP Alhan Fahmy also said he did not want to comment on the issue while spokesperson for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary group, Ahmed Shifaz did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Alhan Fahmy criticises Adhaalath Party for “use of Islam as a political tool”

MP of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Alhan Fahmy has demanded the resignation of Adhaalath Party members from cabinet posts should the party continue “to take advantage of the political situation by using Islam as a tool.”

Fahmy’s comments, made at a recent MDP rally in Hulhumale’, came in response to claims made earlier this week by Adhaalath Party’s Vice President Asim Mohamed, suggesting that no political party in the Maldives would be able to run the government without the party’s support.

Asim furthermore stated that the party would cooperate with whichever major party ran the government, and that the Adhaalath Party’s religious knowledge and cooperation was very important for the country.

The party recently spearheaded protests against regulations licensing the sale of alcohol to non-Muslims at establishments on inhabited islands, together with Islamic NGO Jammiyyathu Salaf and others.

The leading role taken by Adhaalath Party member Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, also the State Minister of Islamic Affairs, was considered by some to be an act of political defiance. Shaheem claimed at the time that other senior members of the Islamic were also prepared to resign from the government over the issue.

“I don’t think that would have been a bad outcome,” said Fahmy, speaking to Minivan News, “however the president is more mature on this [subject].”

Fahmy said that if the Adhaalath Party was willing to be in coalition with government, “it should not be working against it and threatening it by saying no government can exist without the support of the Adhaalath Party.”

He observed that the large crowd of protesters had gathered over the issue of liquor regulations, and not necessarily in support of the Adhaalath Party.

“They were rallying against the cultivation of alcohol in areas where they lived. That’s different,” he said.

“Adhaalath are a political party, and the objective of any political party is to overtake the current government. But they are playing a very damaging game by being part of the government and using Islam as a tool [for political support].”

Fahmy said he was concerned about “extremist” elements in the Adhaalath Party and its attempts to dictate government policy, but noted it also had a moderate side.

“Shaheem is generally thought of as moderate,” Fahmy said. “He was my room mate when I studied at the Islamic University in Medina, which some people used to call a ‘terrorist training institute’. I know about the whole idea of the Maldives becoming a democratic country so as to remove the legal barriers for scholars to preach their ideas.”

“But I feel using Islam to leverage grassroots support against the government is dangerous for the country,” he said.

Spokesman for the President Mohamed Zuhair said that “while I have publically stated that the president has full confidence in the scholars of the Islamic Ministry, as a politician and a member of a political party Alhan may be voicing the sentiment of grassroots elements in the party.”

Zuhair said at the time of his election the president had promised he would leave religious matters in the hands of qualified religious scholars, “and the Adhaalath Party was the only party that showed interest in political administration and the only suitable political partner that was available.”

President of the Adhaalath Party Sheikh Hussein Rasheed Ahmed claimed that Alhan Fahmy “is an agent sent from the DRP infiltrate the MDP”, observing that the former DRP politician had been “fed and grown by the DRP” and “has not yet given a valid reason for leaving the party.”

Sheikh Hussein also noted that the MDP was sharing the government with the Adhaalath Party, and explained that it would not have come to administration without Adhaalath’s support.

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Cameraman and journalist forced out of MDP rally, claims DhiTV

A journalist and cameraman from DhiTV attending an MDP rally last night were threatened and forced outside last night, the station claims.

Editor of DhiTV Midhath Adam said it was not the first time MDP supporters had threatened DhiTV’s journalists and cameramen.

”They sometimes used to say they would destroy our property,” he added.

Adam said “a well known MDP activist” ordered them to leave last night.

”Alhan Fahmy and some other senior members of the party were also there,” he said, noting that ”they did not seem to care about it.”

Adam said although the party “treats journalists this way”, the station would continue to attend MDP’s rallies.

”They used to attack our journalists verbally and threaten us but we would still go to cover their meetings.” he said.

MDP MP Alhan Fahmy said he was not present when the incident occurred.

”If I was there I would not had let it happen.” Alhan said. ”As soon as I knew about it I went to stop them from leaving but they were gone.”

Alhan agreed such actions brought the party a bad name.

”It is not MDP’s policy to stop the media doing its duty,” he said.

DRP Vice President Umar Naseer said he was “not surprised” by the incident as “they hate DhiTV.”

“DhiTV is the best political media in the country,” Naseer said.

He claimed MDP hated DhiTV mostly because it showed old footage of President Mohamed Nasheed and reminded people about the government’s unfulfilled pledges.

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