Tag: jp

Nasheed warns of PPM, Supreme Court collusion to subvert elections

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has warned of collusion between the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and the Supreme Court to subvert local council elections scheduled for January 18.

“We clearly know political party leaders are bribing judges,” said Nasheed, stating that the Supreme Court’s attempt to “destroy the Maldives” will be written in history.

The PPM and 295 independent candidates have failed to approve the voter registry, casting doubt on the possibility of elections being held on Saturday.

In October 2013, the Maldives Police Service obstructed presidential polls at the eleventh hour after the PPM and its coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) refused to sign voter lists.

Speaking to supporters at a rally held in Malé on Monday night, Nasheed said the PPM intended to delay elections until the party was able to change the names on the voter registry.

Candidate signature on the voter registry was mandated by the Supreme Court in a 16-point electoral guideline in its verdict annulling the first round of presidential polls held in September last year. The Supreme Court also ordered the Election Commission (EC) to discard their registry and compile a registry based on the Home Ministry’s Department of National Registration’s (DNR) database.

The EC has described the guidelines as “restrictions” that limit the power of the independent state institution.

“With the Supreme Court’s order on the Election Commission to use the DNR list, we are once again seeing PPM and Jumhooree Party attempting to subvert this election against the wishes of the Maldivian citizenry,” Nasheed said.

The MDP did not have time in October to analyse the DNR list, but have now noticed 12,000 non-existent voters on the voter registry, Nasheed said.

“The Election Commissioner has said 5000 individuals without a recorded photo had voted [in presidential polls]. If there had been photos, it would be clear that one individual possessed two different ID cards,” he alleged.

“I am ready to say whatever I must say today”: Nasheed

The PPM and JP are once again preparing for “the same crime” while the Supreme Court is preparing “to once again steal elections,” he continued.

Nasheed accused the ruling coalition of bribing the Supreme Court judges and bribing MPs to keep disgraced Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed on the bench.

In 2013, a series of tapes which appear to show Hameed having sex with three different foreign women in a Colombo hotel room were leaked on social media. The judicial oversight body Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has failed to take any action regarding Hameed.

“We know political party leaders are bearing the expenses of educating the children of Supreme Court judges. We know they buy land for judges. And we know they send judges on leisure trips to Ceylon [Sri Lanka] and buy them various types of pleasures,” Nasheed said.

He called on the public not to let the Supreme Court manage elections.

“Elections must be organised by the Elections Commission. The Chief Justice and the Supreme Court cannot direct elections. The Chief Justice is in charge of the effort to steal our vote,” he said.

Before his appointment in 2010, Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz had repeatedly expressed concern over bribery of judges, Nasheed said.

“I told Faiz I was appointing him as Chief Justice to stop this [bribery]. Today, Faiz is subverting norms in the Maldives and allowing judges to be bribed. If we do not speak out in fear, there is no greater crime,” he said.

If the public refused to speak out against the Supreme Court’s actions for fear of sentences today, they are likely to receive greater sentences tomorrow, Nasheed continued.

“If we leave our country to these judges, because we are tired or because we do not want to go to jail or because we do not want to bear any other trouble and if we step back, I believe it will be very difficult to obtain the development we desire and to save the Maldives,” he said.

“I am ready to say whatever I must say today,” he continued.

Local criticism of the court’s involvment in the presidential elections was met with a series of contempt of court charges against MDP MPs, its legal representatives, whilst charges have been filed against the MDP-aligned Raajje TV station in relation to a news reports criticising the bench.

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Former defence chief and two MPs among high-profile switches to pro-government parties

Former Chief of Defence Forces Major General (Retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel and Malé City Councillor Lufshan Shakeeb ‘Loope’ – formerly of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) yesterday.

Independent MP for Kulhudhufushi South, Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, also signed for the PPM today and announced that he would seek re-election on the party’s ticket. Nasheed served in the cabinet of former President Gayoom as information and legal reform minister.

Meanwhile, MDP MP Ahmed Rasheed joined the government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP).

Speaking at a ceremony attended by former president and PPM leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Jaleel said he joined “to serve the public through PPM,” adding that he believed the current government’s policies would ensure development and “save the country”.

After 32 years of service, the chief of defence forces under former President Mohamed Nasheed retired from the military in the wake of the controversial transfer of presidential power in February 2012.

In January 2013, Jaleel told parliament’s Government Oversight Committee that he believed former President Nasheed had “resigned under duress.”

Shakeeb – city councillor for mid-Henveiru – meanwhile said he decided to join PPM based on the focus and opportunities for youth in the party’s manifesto. The film actor quit the MDP in the wake of the party’s electoral defeat in November 2013.

In addition to Jaleel and Shakeeb, senior members of the Maziya Supporters club as well as television presenter Aminath Namza also signed for PPM at yesterday’s ceremony.

“Warm welcome to Moosa Jaleel, Lufshan Shakeeb, Aminath Namza n other prominent figures who joined PPM in my presence last night,” Gayoom tweeted to announce the new members.

Speaking to press at the party office yesterday, Gayoom contended that the new government “could not provide the services it wants to the public without winning the [upcoming local council and parliamentary] elections.”

“A PPM majority will pave the way to go ahead with the PPM manifesto,” he said.

MDP Male’ City Councillor ‘Jambu’ Hassan Afeef also joined the PPM at today’s ceremony. In addition to Nasheed and Afeef, Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Chairman Ibrahim Umar Manik signed for the party this afternoon.

With the new signings, the PPM currently has two councillors on the 11-member Male’ City Council.

Ahmed Rasheed to JP

MDP MP for Hoarafushi Ahmed Rasheed signed for the JP at a ceremony in the party’s headquarters Maafanu Kunooz yesterday.

JP leader Gasim Ibrahim told reporters that Rasheed had offered to join the party “a long time ago” while he was JP’s sole representative in parliament.

“But I said stay there, in MDP, for now. I believe Ahmed Rasheed is a person who worked very hard and transparently for democracy in the Maldives while in MDP,” the business tycoon said.

Rasheed said he decided to join the JP because the public chose the government coalition in last year’s presidential election.

Praising Gasim for his services to the public, Rasheed said he would seek re-election in the Hoarafushi constituency, adding that parliamentary seats were “more important to the government coalition” than the opposition.

Gasim said that Rasheed would be given the JP ticket without a primary by virtue of being a sitting MP, adding that he believed JP MPs should be able to contest on behalf of the coalition for their constituencies.

The Hoarafushi MP was among six MDP MPs who voted against the oppposition party’s whip line to approve President Abdulla Yameen’s ministerial appointees last month.

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Extraordinary sitting of parliament called off

Today’s extraordinary sitting of parliament was called off without debating the government’s revenue raising measures after opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs objected to the proposed tax hikes and alleged obstruction of the upcoming local council elections.

With MDP MPs taking consecutive points of order, Speaker Abdulla Shahid adjourned proceedings 15 minutes into the sitting, stating that he would consult the majority and minority leaders.

After the sitting resumed at 1:50pm, Shahid said that discussions with party leaders were “regrettably not that successful” and attempted to proceed with the debate on government-sponsored legislation for raising revenue.

However, MDP MPs continued to raise points of order and Shahid brought the sitting to a close at the end of normal time.

Today’s sitting was held during the ongoing recess upon request by 27 government-aligned MPs stating that failure to pass the revenue bills during the last session of 2013 was hampering implementation of the budget.

The three bills submitted by the government include an amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act to raise T-GST from eight to 12 percent as well as two amendments to the Tourism Act intended to reintroduce the discontinued flat US$8 bed tax and require resort lease extensions to be paid as a lump sum.

Following the Majlis’s failure to extend the tourism bed tax before the end of last year, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told local media that the resulting losses to state revenue would be MVR100 million a month.

Among other revenue raising measures proposed by the government include revising import duties, raising airport departure charge for foreign passengers from US$18 to US$25, leasing 12 islands for resort development, and introducing GST for telecommunication services.

In December, parliament passed a record MVR17.5 billion (US$1.16 billion) budget for 2014, prompting President Abdulla Yameen to call on the legislature to approve the revenue raising measures, which the government contends are necessary to finance development projects.

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MDP, JP candidates contesting together in Gemanafushi

Government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidates are campaigning together on the island of Gemanafushi in Gaaf Alif atoll for its five-member local council.

Three MDP candidates and two JP candidates have been campaigning on a joint platform ahead of next Saturday’s election.

JP Deputy Leader and Gemanafushi MP Ilham Ahmed claimed at a campaign rally last week that coalition partner Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) decided to field five candidates from the party despite an agreement within the ruling coalition for three PPM candidates and two JP candidates to contest.

He added that the JP was unable to resolve the issue through discussions with the PPM.

PPM MP Moosa Zameer meanwhile told local media yesterday (January 13) that the coalition partners were working on finding a solution to the impasse, which he stressed was a dispute between the candidates from Gemanafushi rather than the parties.

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Progressive Coalition launches local council campaign

The ruling Progressive Coalition has launched its local council campaign “My stake – development is certain” last night at the Alimas Carnival in Malé.

President Abdulla Yameen said a local council election win was necessary for the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and its coalition partners – the Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – to deliver on campaign pledges.

“When we do not win those seats, when we do not receive cooperation from the Majlis and councils, when we are unable to [deliver], then there is no point speaking on the matter,” Yameen said.

In a democracy, citizens must provide the opportunity for a government to fulfill its campaign pledges over the opposition holding the government accountable, he continued.

Yameen pledged to provide services outside of the government budget by utilizing existing resources. Further, the PPM administration will provide promised benefits to fishermen, farmers and elderly through an insurance scheme, he said.

The PPM had promised MVR10,000 (US$ 648) cash handouts for fishermen, MVR8000 (US$ 518) for farmers and MVR 5000 (US$ 324) for the elderly during the presidential campaign. But on assuming power, Yameen opted for insurance scheme over direct cash.

“We must not worry about funds [for pledges] in the budget. These are not things you do through the budget. They will be provided through an insurance scheme,” he said.

Speaking on his recent visit to India, Yameen said the Maldives cannot face global political currents alone and needed help from the international community. However, despite India’s promise of aid, the Maldives would not give up “an inch” of its territory, he said.

The Maldives foreign policy will be based on increasing foreign investment and aid, Yameen said.

He also pledged to strengthen the Maldives’ banking sector, stating that the Bank of Maldives was reluctant to release large loans to one party or to invest in profitable enterprises despite having the money to do so.

“God willing, we will end these practices. There are additional ways for the bank to make profits. We will bring those changes,” he said.

Speaking on the vacant MMA governor’s position, Yameen said he had nominated a “capable” female nominee.

Yameen’s half-brother and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and JP’s leader Gasim Ibrahim also called on the public to grant a majority of local council and parliamentary seats for the Progressive Coalition to allow the government to fulfill its pledges.

The JP backed Yameen in the second round of polls in November 2013 after the PPM allegedly promised the party over 30 percent stake in government and local council and parliamentary seats. Local council elections are set for January 18 and parliamentary elections are scheduled for March.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) launched its local council campaign in December 2013, promising to empower local councils if the party wins a majority in both elections.

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JP fined MVR 17,000 over “dead members”

The Elections Commission has fined the Jumhooriee Party (JP) MVR 17,000 (USD 1108) in December for submitting three party membership forms ‘signed’ by deceased people.

A press release by the commission states that the fine is levied under the Political Parties Act.

According to the Elections Commission website, the JP currently has a total of 14,330 members.

The Commission has previously brought cases of membership forms being submitted in the names of the deceased, or under other fraudulent terms, to the notice of the police.

They have previously noted that political parties submitted a higher number of fraudulent forms at the time when the parties held membership drive campaigns following the parliament was working to pass a bill stating that a party must consist of a minimum of 10,000 members to be officially registered.

The commission has previously revealed in 2012 that then President Mohamed Waheed’s party had submitted 80 percent fraudulent membership forms.

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Coalition will overcome “ordinary” rifts: Gayoom

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has disregarded claims of rifts in the current government coalition as “ordinary”, expressing confidence that disputes will be sorted out in the near future.

Coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) had expressed dissatisfaction regarding the PPM’s failure to consult the party in compiling the state budget for 2014.

“It is understandable that sometimes, on particular matters, misunderstandings within a coalition may arise. That is how it happens in all parts of the world,” Gayoom said, addressing media upon return to the Maldives from a personal trip to Malaysia.

He stated that in general, the leaders of the coalition parties shared a “strong sense of unity and a spirit of working together”. He assured supporters that he would “wisely take on smoothing out any discord there may be within the coalition”.

While Gayoom speaks of solving issues within the coalition, his half-brother President Abdulla Yameen and JP leader Gasim Ibrahim – whose support was crucial in PPM winning the presidential election – have exchanged harsh criticism against each other regarding the proposed budget for 2014.

Deputy leaders of both parties have dismissed the claims that a rift existed within the coalition.

Upcoming elections

Gayoom further confirmed that as the main party in the coalition, PPM is currently working on assigning constituencies to the coalition partners for the upcoming elections, adding that it will be assigned as was agreed during the formation of the coalition for the presidential election.

PPM is competing in the upcoming elections together with coalition partners JP and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

PPM had promised the JP over 30 per cent of cabinet positions, parliamentary seats and local council seats in exchange for their support in the presidential election.

Earlier in November, Gasim expressed concern about the governing party’s failure to fulfill its promises to the JP, adding that it may be because the PPM “is hectically engaged in other government matters”. Stating that he did not believe Yameen or Gayoom would “deprive JP of benefits”, Gasim stated then that he had sent a letter to the PPM’s leader asking for clarification of what the JP is entitled to.

The fourth party in the coalition, religious conservative Adhaalath Party – after having recently dismissed rumours of it leaving the alliance – has announced that it will be contesting in the elections separate from the coalition.

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Penal Code returned to drafting committee

Parliament has sent the Penal Code back to the special committee tasked with revising it with a majority of 61 votes. While three members voted against re-sending it to committee, two abstained from the vote.

The final draft submitted to the parliament floor was rejected by 36 votes out of the 72 members present in Sunday’s session, after which a vote was taken whether to send it back to committee for review.

Members from the government coalition parties voted against the bill, with Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof confirming to Minivan News today that a coalition whip-line was issued for the matter.

The Penal Code was submitted to the floor after seven years of review in the committee, having been initially submitted in 2006.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza – Chair of the Penal Code review committee – stated that the reason for the long duration of review is primarily due to the long periods required for reviewing and commenting by state institutions including the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

The bill, if ratified, will replace the 52 year old penal law which is currently in effect.

The Penal Code and religion

Much of the arguments presented against the Penal Code revolved around the concepts of religion and Sharia law not being “sufficiently reflected” in the final draft.

Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Ibrahim Muhthalib stated that “no human being has the right to rephrase divine laws in Islamic Sharia into separate articles in a law” and that he would abstain from voting on the matter as some scholars believe that participation in such an act may be blasphemous.

Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) MP Ahmed Amir echoed Muhthalib’s concerns and added that penalties on crimes which have a hadd [fixed punishments specifically mentioned in the Quran] sentences in Sharia Law are what most people have found concerning about the bill.

MP Ibrahim Riza who voted to send the bill back to the review committee said that the bill included some penalties which contradicted Sharia law mandates.

Religious conservative Adhaalath Party Sheikh Ilyas Hussain has also previously in March criticized the bill in sermons saying it will “destroy Islam”, prompting a parliamentary inquiry.

“If it is passed, there is no doubt that there will be no religion in this Muslim society that claims to be 100 percent Muslim. There will be no Islamic punishments. Refusing to incorporate even a single hadd is destroying Islam,” he had said then.

However, presenting the bill to parliament today, Hamza stated that in light of academic and technical expertise of the committee members, irreligious effects in the penal code have been brought to a minimal level.

“We are aware that various scholars from around the globe have commented on this work by Professor Paul Robinson,” Hamza said, referring to the legal expert from University of Pennysylvania Law School, under whose leadership the first draft of the Penal Code had been prepared on the request of then Attorney General Hassan Saeed in January 2006.

“Keeping this in mind, we took care to use our academic and technical capacity to minimalize any irreligious effects that might have been in this bill’s initial draft. Man-made laws are always less perfect than divine laws,” he stated.

The other main reservation put forth by members is the short period of time given to review the bill and submit amendments in.

The committee opened up the draft for amendments from December 24 to 26. On Saturday, December 28, the committee announced that no amendments had been submitted within the given timeframe.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Abdulla Mausoom, JP MP Shifaq Mufeed, PPM MP Ahmed Nihan voiced concerns about the short period of time given for review when speaking to Minivan News today.

Mausoom said that besides the time limitation, he also noticed double penalties for the same offence in the bill, and that is why he voted to return the bill to parliament.

“The penal code is as thick as a generic A4 ream of papers. It is unrealistic to ask us to read and comment on it in such a short time. What we have now is a penal code that has existed for very many years. When we pass a new one, I do not wish it to be one that calls for amendments to be submitted every other day. We are not of the mindset that we want to reject it, but we want enough time to review it in light of the Maldivian people’s way of life, Islamic Sharia and existing laws,” Shifaaq stated.

Meanwhile Nihan described the bill as “a rushed job done to bring an end to years of it being pending in committee”.

“There isn’t a single member in the committee who has actually read this bill. How can anyone spend time on it when there are so many other important bills that also call for our attention, as well as the annual budget? It has to come with enough time allowance for us to submit amendments,” he stated.

Bill review

The review committee’s Chair Hamza maintains that the government was given sufficient time and opportunity to submit all and any desired amendments to the bill.

“Voting records show that it was members of the government coalition who rejected this bill. We provided sufficient time allowances for them to submit amendments. We have even included 12 of the amendments submitted by the Attorney General,” Hamza explained.

“In fact, we worked at length both with former Attorney General Azima Shakoor and current successor Mohamed Anil. We also gave opportunities for political parties to submit amendments, where even PPM sent in submissions. I do not understand why it was rejected after all of this. I am astounded. I sincerely hope the government will explain its reasons for rejecting the bill in the form of an official statement,” he continued.

“I do not see how it will be possible to ever pass the new Penal Code if it is to be left as everyone’s lowest priority. Members need to make time and work to pass this bill at the earliest. I have now scheduled a meeting of the committee for tomorrow. I personally hope to review this, open it up for amendments, incorporate what we will from those and have it resubmitted to the parliament floor by early March next year,” Hamza said.

Responding to members’ criticisms, Hamza pointed out that members had not asked for additional time for reviewing the bill during today’s parliament session, and had instead voted to return it to committee.

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JP and PPM dismiss claim of rifts in coalition

The deputy leaders of ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) have dismissed claims of rifts in the governing coalition.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim had previously expressed dissatisfaction by the PPM’s failure to consult coalition partners in compiling the budget. Gasim’s backing was crucial in securing the presidency for President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Speaking on Sunday’s parliament sitting, the PPM’s Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla stated that there are no disagreements within the coalition, claiming that the two parties worked “unitedly and amicably”.

“The fact that we won this year’s presidential election through this coalition is proof of the fact that people will not believe rumours you spread. It is useless efforts on the part of MDP to try to break up this coalition. God willing, we will reach the end of our five year term having fulfilled the pledges we made to Maldivian citizens,” he said, accusing the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of attempting to create discord within the coalition.

JP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed echoed party leader Gasim’s claims that PPM had failed to hold any discussions with the party regarding the state budget. However, he, too, confirmed no major disagreements existed between the two parties in the ruling coalition.

“We will do what is required of us to protect the current government. There are no issues between Jumhoori Party and PPM,” Ilham said, adding that the two parties will be working together in the upcoming local council and parliamentary elections.

Verbal attacks

Meanwhile, President Abdulla Yameen has previously expressed disapproval with coalition partner JP for submitting amendments to the budget proposed by the government, saying that coalition partners must let the main party in the alliance decide on the allocation of funds for various projects.

He said then that coalition members must not view the alliance as an opportunity to guarantee themselves what they want from within the government, nor should it be seen as a chance to bring out whatever number of candidates they wish to compete in an election.

“If at the initial stages, coalition partners themselves are to stand up and criticize every issue that arises about our proposal, I really do not see how I will be able to fulfill the people’s needs,” he said, adding that the government will not bear responsibility for unfulfilled pledges if any changes are brought to the budget.

In response, Gasim said: “I am both a coalition member and the Chair of the parliamentary committee tasked with budget review. And yet, we have had no suggestions or discussion from the government.”

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