Tag: DRP

Dhivehi Qaumee Party MP Adhil signs with MDP

Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Hassan Adhil has signed with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

”I did not sign with MDP because I was influenced by anyone, I took this step because of the pulse of the people,” said Adhil.

”I believe that the government is conducting many development projects at a high speed, and I signed with MDP for the development of my area at the request of [my constituents].”

Leader of the DQP Hassan Saeed declined to comment on Adhil’s decision.

After signing Adhil, MDP’s parliamentary group now numbers 32 MPs. The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), despite having 27 MPs, retains a parliamentary majority through its coalition agreement with the seven MPs of Abdulla Yameen’s People’s Alliance (PA), and the support of both the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and Jumhoree Party (JP) with one MP each.

Numbers game

According to the latest statistics from the Elections Commission (EC), MDP now has a membership of 40,919 people while the DRP has 38,494 people registered.

The PA has a membership of 2932 people, while the JP, led by MP Gasim Ibrahim, has 5529 members registered. The DQP, led by former Attorney General, Dr Hassan Saeed, hsd a membership of 2929 while the Adhaalath Party, led by Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, has a membership of 6020 people but no seats in parliament.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that MP Adhil had left the Gaumee (GIP) party rather than the Qaumee (DQP) party. Minivan News apologises for the error.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Bad weather politics: rain cancels concurrent DRP protests

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) was to hold two concurrent protests this evening after the ‘For Sale’ protest organised by the party’s Deputy Leader Umar Naseer for Friday was delayed due to weather.

However continuing poor weather led to the cancellation of both protests, which would have coincided at the Artificial Beach this evening at 9pm.

Naseer told Minivan News that both protests “were planned to take place as one.”

The outspoken and uncompromising critic of the government’s privatisation of state assets issued a press statement this week announcing the ‘For Sale’ protest, without the apparent approval of the party’s secretariat.

The party’s council voted 16-11 in favour of bringing Naseer before the party’s disciplinary committee over the matter, leading Naseer on Wednesday to publicly question the sincerity of DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, and allege that senior officials in the party “are known to be involved in secret deals with the government.”

In support of Naseer, DRP MPs Ilham Ahmed and Ahmed Mahlouf condemned the council’s decision as characteristic of a “dictatorship.”

The DRP Council meanwhile announced a protest for this evening at 9pm at the Artifical Beach, coinciding with Umar Naseer’s protest until the cancellation of both.

Factional rumblings within the DRP became noticeable during its last congress, when the party voted against holding primary elections to determine the party’s presidential candidate, and instead opted for the leader to automatically become the candidate. Thasmeen was then elected to leadership unopposed, after prior public endorsement by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Naseer, who had resigned from and attempted to disband his own Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) to pursue higher political ambitions, was a vocal critic of the decision to not hold primaries.

Following the congress Faathin Hameed, one of the DRP’s formative members and niece of the former President, told Minivan News that the voting itself was suspect because delegates “were bought before they even got [to Male’].”

“There were a lot of complaints from the islands lodged directly at the DRP office,” Faathin told Minivan News in March. “I made a point of writing to the committee in charge of the congress, headed by the [Parliamentary] Speaker Abdulla Shahid, reporting the complaints I was receiving and requesting action in order to ensure a transparent, free and fair democratic process.”

Faathin claimed the DRP’s “failure to fund its grass-root groups” had made the party dependent on outside financial support at the island-level, which had resulted in delegations from Male’ travelling to went to the islands “to ‘assist’ in holding the elections – teams sent by people with vested interests.”

Among the complaints shown to Minivan News were allegations from party members that they had been deliberately excluded from participating in island-level meetings, that island-level meetings were not announced or held in secrecy, that agendas were not announced in advance, and that candidates were not given the opportunity to put themselves forward. There were also disputes over vote counting.

Despite apparent tension over the issue of holding primaries, the party continued to insisted it was united even as a subsequent court case related to US$100,000 in debts was levelled at then-DRP leader elect Thasmeen by Abdulla Yameen, the former President’s half-brother and leader of the DRP’s coalition partner the People’s Alliance (PA).

Yameen contended at the time that that court case was “a civil case with no bearing on a political arrangement”.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Protests planned as Umar Naseer called to face DRP disciplinary committee

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader Umar Naseer accused the party’s Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali of attempting to dismiss him from the party today, after the DRP council voted narrowly to recommend Umar to the disciplinary committee.

With five absentees, the 33-member DRP council voted 16-11 against the former presidential candidate of the Islamic Democratic Party.

“I know that the disciplinary committee will decide to oust me from the party, that is very clear to me,’’ Umar told press after the council meeting, adding that the committee was “full of Thasmeen’s people who would do whatever he says”.

Umar told the press this evening that he was unfairly targeted as MPs Ilham Ahmed, Ahmed Mahlouf and Ali Arif were also involved in announcing a protest for Friday night, which the party’s secretariat claimed had not been approved.

“The sincerity of our leader Thasmeen is questionable,” Umar said. “Some of our senior officials are known to be involved in secret deals with the government.’’

Umar declined to go into any further detail on the alleged deals.

Flanking Umar at the press conference, MPs Ilham Ahmed and Ahmed Mahlouf condemned the council’s decision as characteristic of a “dictatorship.”

Ilham said the council’s decision was “regrettable” as he and Umar were “guilty of the same crime.”

“I signed the same letterhead sent out to the media announcing the protest, but the decision was made to take action only against Umar,” he said.

According to the party’s charter, said Ilham, the only measure that could be taken against deputy leaders was a vote on a no-confidence motion.

Galolhu South MP Ahmed Mahlouf said tomorrow night’s protest, which the DRP Deputies plans to go ahead with in defiance of Thasmeen, will prove that the party’s 40,000 members were with them.

Mahlouf revealed that the children of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Dhunya and Gassan Maumoon, as well as MPs Ahmed Nihan, Ali Arif, Abdul Muhsin Hameed, Abdulla Maseeh and former Attorney General Azima Shukoor voted against the motion.

“We are happy that they were with us,” he said. “Gassan himself will take part in tomorrow night’s demonstration.”

He further revealed that council members voted unanimously in favour on a motion by Azima Shukoor on whether members had confidence in Thasmeen’s leadership.

Shortly after the Deputy Leaders met the press, Thasmeen called a press conference to defend the council’s decision.

Thasmeen stressed that the issue was not holding demonstrations, insisting that Umar had defied and ignored a directive from the party’s secretariat.

“I welcome the council’s decision,” he said. “What I want to say is that the council’s decision today was not based on whether to protest or not to protest.

While it was important to plan protests to hold the government accountable, said Thasmeen, DRP should ensure that its activities are disciplined and organised and mindful of “the big picture.”

Meanwhile, Umar and Ilham signed and issued a press release late afternoon announcing that the postponed protest will take place at 9pm tomorrow night.

Thasmeen however denied that the party had planned a protest.

“I do not have to comment on a protest that anyone conducts,” he said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Rumours of DRP leadership split “MDP media campaign”, claims MP Mausoom

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom has dismissed reports of a split in the DRP leaderships as “a media campaign conducted in the interests of” the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Rumours of an internal dispute surfaced in the media on Thursday after the party issued conflicting statements about a protest planned for Friday night, which was later postponed due to bad weather.

After Deputy Leaders Umar Naseer and Ilham Ahmed informed media of the “Government For Sale” protest, DRP Secretariat Abdul Rasheed Nafiz sent out text messages to media claiming the party’s leadership had not approved the decision.

DRP Media Coordinator Ali Solih told local daily Miadhu that action would be taken against the Deputy Leaders for “forging a press release” and announcing the protest before either the DRP leadership or the party’s council approved it.

Umar Naseer however claims the four deputies had the authority to use the party’s logo, letterhead or stamp.

Moreover, a resolution submitted to the DRP council by Umar Naseer and MPs Ilham, Ahmed Mahlouf and Ali Arif to terminate talks with the government has not been included in the agenda for tomorrow’s council meeting.

“Solid and united”

”The last DRP council concluded very smoothly and its outcome was also very productive,” said Mausoom. ”I have not noticed that there are any disputes between the leadership of the party.”

Mausoom claimed MDP was attempting to divide DRP’s leadership as the ruling party stood to benefit from a weakened opposition.

”I said this recently also, during the speech I gave at DRP’s first rally,” Mausoom said. ”MDP will seek loop holes to get through the party and will try to divide us.”

”The bond between the party’s leadership cannot be broken although they tried, for we are solid and stay united,” he added.

The only hope MDP had of winning the presidential election in 2013 was if “DRP fell apart”, said Mausoom.

”I am not saying MDP is spreading the rumor, but some people are attempting to divide the leadership with the interest of MDP in their minds.”

Secretary General of MDP Ahmed Shah said he was saddened by Mausoom’s comment.

”We have not been focusing on DRP, especially these days,” Shah said. ”We are mainly focusing on the upcoming local council elections and the whole MDP is busy on that.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

DRP plan “For Sale” protest

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will launch a protest against the government’s alleged sale of state assets and property tomorrow night at 9pm at the artificial beach.

According to DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, the purpose of the protest, dubbed “For Sale”, was to “raise our voices against the government’s policy of leasing state assets.”

“This government has sold important state assets such as the international airport, schools and other state assets,’’ he claimed, adding that he did not believe the government would listen before police were forced to use tear gas against protestors.

‘’But we are not going to take it that far on the first night,’’ he added.

“Peace talks”

Umar, along with MPs Ilham Ahmed, Ali Arif and Ahmed Mahlouf submitted a resolution to the DRP council to terminate discussions with the government “until the president gets inside the chart.”

The resolution states that the government routinely disregards both the constitution and legislation passed by parliament.

It also claims that the government secretly and publicly attempted to bribe DRP MPs.

If the DRP council adopts the resolution, the main opposition party will not engage in any discussions with the government until it adheres to the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Act and amendments brought to the Public Finance Act.

Last month, parliament overruled a presidential veto and passed the amendments requiring the government to seek parliamentary approval for any sale or lease of state assets.

Spokesperson for the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group, MP Mohamed Shifaz, argued meanwhile that privatisation and public-private partnerships were the stated policy of the government.

‘’MDP does not have to follow the policy of DRP, they are just afraid that the people may witness the benefits of the privatisation policy’s success,’’ said Shifaz. ‘’DRP is troubling the government instead of making it accountable.’’

Shifaz explained that people protested when the government announced plans to privatise Giyasuddeen School last year.

“But today people complain that there are no seats in Giyasuddeen School because so many people enrolled their kids there after it was privatised,’’ Shifaz said. ‘’Because it was us doing it, DRP was against, if it was done by someone among them, they would have cooperated and supported it.’’

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

DRP Noonu Atoll wing’s leader arrested with suspected bottle of alcohol

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Noonu Atoll wing leader Mohamed Abbas has been arrested with possession of a bottle suspected to contain alcohol.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that three men were arrested for allegedly carrying alcohol in an empty water bottle.

”Two men have been released now,” said Shiyam. “The bottle will be brought to Male’ for the necessary examinations.”

Shiyam declined to reveal the identity of the person under arrest, however he confirmed that Abbas was one of the two persons released.

Alcohol in the Maldives is strictly controlled and restricted to ‘uninhabited’ resort islands. Maldivians, who are constitutionally-obligated to be Muslim, are prohibited from consuming it in accordance with Islamic practices.

Online newspaper based on Noonu Atoll, Velidhoo Online (VO), reported that three bottles of alcohol were discovered inside Abbas’s backpack.

VO reported that the bottles were discovered by police when they were checked following their arrival from the Ranveli Resort of Noonu Atoll.

The paper also said that people had gathered near Velidhoo police station and held demonstrations to express disapproval of Abbas.

Deputy leader of DRP, Umar Naseer, said Abbas was not the leader of DRP’s Noonu Atoll wing.

”He’s just a normal DRP member, an activist,” said Umar. ”I have idea how this happened, but I know he did not drink, because his breath-test results were negative to alcohol.”

Umar said there were no alcoholics in the opposition DRP, and claimed that there were only alcoholics in the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

”Police should investigate the case and take necessary actions against any person who violates the law, without referring to which party he is in or what his post is,” Umar added.

Police recently discovered bottles of alcohol inside the car of MDP parliamentary group leader and MP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik, however the government claimed the alcohol bust was a setup.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Lawsuit against Thasmeen “a political game”, claims Nihan

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan has claimed that a lawsuit lodged in the Civil Court against leader of the opposition and DRP MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali was “a political game.”

Local newspaper Haveeru reported that three board of directors of Victorious Travels and Tours – Aishath Alima of Machangoalhi Binmatheege, Thohira Hussein of Falhogasdhashuge/Dhaal atoll Kudahuvadhoo and Shaheedha Zakariya of Alivaage/Baa atoll Eydhafushi, had lodged three lawsuits against Thasmeen seeking compensation totaling more that Rf5.4 million (US$420,000) in a dispute over Kabaalifaru island in Kaaf Atoll.

According to Haveeru, the three women alleged the island was sold to Thasmeen under an agreement between him and Ali Shareef of Machangoalhi Anaavilla, who won the bid through Victorious Travel and Tours.

The travel agency demanded Shareef pay the amount received from the sale of the resort to the company, however in 2007 the company resolved to bill Thasmeen, Haveeru noted.

Thasmeen’s lawyer Ahmed Faiz told the newspaper that his client denied the charges and no agreement was made with the women.

‘’The articles on several media outlets lack information,’’ said Nihan. ‘’It does not mention the percentage of share those persons owned, and it’s very confusing.’’

Newspaper Miadhu reported that the plaintiffs owned 25 percent of the company.

Nihan said that although the matter was being touted as front page news, “the story is not really that sensitive an issue.”

Thasmeen said that as the case was now logged in court, he would not comment without the advice of his lawyers.

‘’My lawyers will issue a statement regarding the issue,’’ he added.

This is not the first time Thasmeen has been been taken to the civil court for unpaid debts.

On January 31 this year, People’s Alliance (PA) leader Abdulla Yameen filed a court case against Thasmeen for debts of US$100,000, two days after Thasmeen was elected uncontested to leadership of the DRP.

At the time the DRP quashed speculation that the DRP-PA coalition was under strain, however Yameen spoke to newspaper Miadhu claiming the elections process within the DRP was “not free and fair”, and that it was undemocratic that the party’s leader should be automatically selected without an election. Miadhu noted that Yameen’s own party had elected him as leader uncontested.

Furthermore, in a Bank of Maldives audit report released in January 2009, revealed that 60 percent of the US$633 million worth of loans issued in 2008 were granted to 12 parties.

According to the report, US$45 million was granted to Sultans of the Seas and US$36 million to Fonnadhoo Tuna Products, which comprised 13 per cent of the total loan amount in 2008.

The report noted that Fonaddhoo was owned by Thasmeen, while the owners of Sultans of the Seas were “closely associated” with the DRP leader.

Former Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem, who was recently dismissed in a no-confidence motion by the DRP-majority parliament, claimed at the time that defaults on bank loans issued to influential political players “could jeopardise the entire financial system of the country.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Reeko Moosa calls for end of peace talks with DRP

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP and parliamentary group leader Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik has called for ceasation of cross-party peace talks with the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

Moosa’s appeal to MDP Chairperson Mariya Ahmed Didi and President Mohamed Nasheed to quit the peace talks were made following amendments presented by DRP to parliament during its last sitting two days ago.

“The bill on Courts was presented to the parliament’s floor following discussion with opposition and independent MPs, after coming to an understanding,” said Moosa. “After agreeing not to propose any amendments, all of a sudden they started proposing them.”

Moosa claimed that Speaker of the Parliament and DRP MP Abdulla Shahid dismissed the sitting while MDP MPs were calling for the bill to sent back to committee.

The amendment that triggered uproar and the cancellation of the sitting was a proposal to prevent the courts from conducting trials related to activities of the former government. The amendment also obstructs the retrial of controversial cases.

“The opposition intends to hide the big crimes committed by the former government,’’ Moosa explained. “DRP’s parliamentary majority is not a reason for MDP to beg the opposition.”

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said the last sitting of the second session “was ruined” by MDP MPs when the session “was not going the way MDP MPs wanted.’’

“We have the right to propose amendments; all the things they are saying are excuses,’’ said Mausoom. “MDP MPs just do not like following the due procedure of the parliament.’’

‘’Our amendments were proposed to broaden the bill and to frame it in such a way that the courts can perform their work best,’’ he said. ‘’All the amendments were presented after discussion with [DRP’s] parliamentary group.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament cancelled during debate over retrials

Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid cancelled last night’s hearing on the Court’s Bill when the debate heated up between ruling and opposition party MPs, during the last sitting of the second session of parliament for 2010.

A statement issued by the parliament this morning said that the parliament had ceased for recess and would resume in October.

During last night’s session, ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs expressed disapproval amendments proposed by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MPs, however all the amendments presented by the opposition were passed.

The amendment that triggered uproar was a proposal to prevent the courts from conducting trials related to activities of the former government. The amendment also obstructs the retrial of controversial cases.

MDP Parliamentary Group leader Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik claimed that last night’s sitting was to be cancelled “because DRP MPs tried to take hold the judiciary in their fists more than they already do.”

‘’We had to protest against the way parliament’s session was conducted when DRP MPs forwarded their self-interest,’’ said Moosa. ‘’DRP presented an amendment that disables courts hold trials of ‘recent cases’.’’

He said the “friendly environment” in parliament established after conclusion of the constitutional deadline “has now vanished because of the DRP MPs.”

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said last night’s session “was ruined” by MDP MPs when the session “was not going the way MDP MPs wanted.’’

“We have the right to propose amendments; all the things they are saying are excuses,’’ said Mausoom. “MDP MPs just do not like following the due procedure of the parliament.’’

Mausoom said MDP MPs had previously boycotted parliament sessions when matters did not go the way they wanted, and suggested it would have been better “if they also did so this time”.

‘’Our amendments were proposed to broaden the bill and to frame it in such a way that the courts can perform their work best,’’ he said. ‘’All the amendments were presented after discussion with [DRP’s] parliamentary group.”

The Bill on Courts was presented to the parliament by the government.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)