The People’s Majlis today approved retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Fayaz (FA) as the Maldives High Commissioner for Malaysia with 39 votes in favor, 8 against, and one abstention.
Following President Yameen’s nomination of Fayaz, his name was reviewed by the parliament’s National Security Committee.
The committee approved Fayaz without interviewing him, stating that he is “in terms of academic qualifications and experience, the best candidate to be appointed as the Maldives High Commissioner for Malaysia”.
Disgraced Civil Service Commission head Mohamed Fahmy Hassan was earlier appointed as the Deputy High Commissioner for Malaysia. In 2012 the parliament dismissed Fahmy as the president of the CSC for sexual harassment of a female staff member.
Mohamed Fayaz has also been criticised – particularly by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party – for his involvement in the controversial power transfer of February 7, 2012.
Fayaz, along with Abdulla Riyaz who is currently running for People’s Majlis, and incumbent Minister of Defense Retired Colonel Mohamed Nazim were seen among the mutinying police officers gathered outside the military headquarters where President Mohamed Nasheed was at the time.
Fayaz negotiated between top generals and the mutinying police officers and was seen beside Nazim when he announced that the president should resign unconditionally.
According to the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) which investigated the events that lead to the power transfer, Fayaz was with President Nasheed when he was taken from the military head quarters to the President’s Office for resignation.
“Nazim and Fayaz went into the President’s Office ahead of the car in which the President was travelling. Following behind the car were the President’s SPG, Chief of Defence Force and Military Operations Commander,” the CNI timeline of events stated.
Nasheed’s resignation letter was later taken from the official dispatch by Fayaz and Riyaz who then delivered it to the speaker of the people’s majlis.
Fayaz served in the National Security Service for fourteen years under President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He was a lieutenant at the time the NSS was split into the police and military branches.
In December 2008, President Mohamed Nasheed appointed him as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, but he was soon dismissed while on study leave. Within a month of his dismissal, Nasheed appointed him as the deputy minister of civil aviation and communication.
Following the power transfer of Febaruary 2012, President Mohamed Waheed appointed Fayaz as minister of state for home affairs.
In January 2013 Fayaz applied for registration of a political party named ‘Maldives National Industrial Alliance’, though the application was rejected last month by the Elections Commission for failing to reach the minimum number of members required for the registration of parties.
During the first round of presidential elections he entered the Jumhooree Coalition supporting businessman Gasim Ibrahim.
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