jp – Page 9 – Minivan News

PPM secures 43-seat parliament majority with signing of JP MP Muhamma

The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has secured a 43-seat simple majority of parliament with the signing of Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Mohamed Abdulla ‘Muhamma’.

The MP for Ihavandhoo and former comedian-actor handed over his membership form to President Abdulla Yameen at a ceremony in Muleeage last night.

Speaking to press at the official presidential residence, Muhamma said he had pledged to work with the government when he contested the Ihavandhoo seat through the ruling coalition, adding that it was also the wish of his constituents.

The main reason for switching to the ruling party was “the progress of President Yameen’s economic policy,” he said.

Muhamma said his work in parliament would become easier as all MPs of Haa Alif atoll were now with the PPM.

“My constituents, too, want sewerage and harbour construction and development. This can be best achieved if I work with the government in the Majlis,” he said.

Backing the MPs’ stance, President Yameen told reporters that parliamentarians were joining the PPM to “play a big role together with the government” to ensure development of their constituencies.

“The second [reason] we feel is that citizens in the atolls as well as Malé believe that political activities have been sufficiently conducted in the Maldives during the past ten years. But it has not brought about either the economic development to the country it should have or prosperity for individuals and contentment or progress for businesses,” Yameen said.

The PPM took office with the economy as the “main agenda item” or the highest priority, he added.

“So I believe that members of the People’s Majlis are joining us – and citizens are waiting patiently and supporting the government’s efforts – to give us this opportunity for five years, because they are awaiting economic development and positive changes in the country,” Yameen said.

Two former JP MPs – Milandhoo MP Hassan Mufeed Abdul Qadir and Nolhivaram MP Hussain Areef – who switched allegiance to PPM had also said they were urged by their constituents to join the ruling party to speed up development of their constituencies.

Majority

Although the PPM won 33 seats in the March 22 parliamentary elections, four out of five independent MPs, three opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs, and two JP MPs have since switched to the ruling party.

With its newest member, the PPM now has 43 MPs in the 85-member house, while coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) has five MPs.

The opposition MDP has 23 MPs while the JP’s parliamentary group is reduced to 12 MPs. The religious conservative Adhaalath Party has one MP and Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed remains the sole independent.

The Progressive Coalition – comprised of the PPM, JP, and MDA – contested the parliamentary polls jointly with the 85 constituencies divided among the pro-government parties.

However, the PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP after the coalition partner’s leader, Gasim Ibrahim, ran for the post of Majlis speaker despite the PPM fielding its senior MP Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed as the ruling coalition’s candidate.

In the wake of the coalition’s breakup, President Yameen sacked Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim and other JP political appointees, whilst cabinet ministers on slots assigned for the JP – Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim and Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed – joined the PPM.

Home Minister Umar Naseer – appointed as part of the coalition agreement with the JP – is meanwhile facing criminal prosecution on charges of disobedience to order.

Following the loss of two JP MPs last month, Gasim claimed at a press conference that the MPs had told him that the government had threatened to cease development of islands in their constituencies.

The JP leader heavily criticised the pair for allegedly reneging on an agreement signed under oath “before God Almighty” to remain in the JP until the end of their five-year terms.

Gasim said he had heard that the pair were offered MVR10 million (US$648,508) each for the transfer.

The business tycoon also claimed to have provided MVR20 million (US$1.2 million) as financial assistance to the PPM’s parliamentary campaign.

Following his third-place finish with 23.37 percent of the vote in last year’s presidential election, Gasim initially announced that the JP would remain neutral. However, the JP’s council decided to endorse Yameen against MDP candidate, former President Mohamed Nasheed, three days before the second round of the polls on November 16.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

Parliamentary debate begins on special economic zones bill

Preliminary debate on the government’s flagship special economic zones (SEZs) legislation began today with opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs warning that the envisaged law could turn the Maldives into a haven for “money laundering and washing black money.”

If the bill is passed into law, the government could hand out uninhabited islands or plots of land for periods, prices, and terms of its choosing without either parliamentary oversight or a role for local councils, contended MDP MP Ibrahim Shareef.

“The Maldives could become a machine for money laundering and turning black money white,” he added.

If the country becomes a money laundering destination for international criminal enterprises, Shareef warned that developed nations could impose sanctions on the Maldives.

Shareef also expressed concern with the impact of tax exemptions for investors in the SEZs on the local tourism industry.

Among other MDP MPs who spoke during the debate, MP Ahmed Nashid noted that the bill “supersedes” 14 other laws while MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa insisted that the legislation should be amended with the input of the main opposition party.

Speaking at an MDP gathering last week, former President Mohamed Nasheed had dubbed the SEZ legislation the “Artur Brothers bill,” referring to the infamous Armenians linked with money laundering and drug trafficking who made headlines in Maldivian media last year after they were photographed with cabinet ministers.

Nasheed claimed that the zones are intended for criminal activity, money laundering, gambling, and “other irreligious activities.”

The Maldivian government’s liaison officer in Addu during British occupation of Gan island had more authority and freedom than what the government would have in the SEZs, Nasheed contended.

Debate

Introducing the 70-page draft legislation (Dhivehi), MP Ahmed Nihan – parliamentary group leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – stressed that the bill includes provisions for terminating agreements with investors if an act of corruption specified in the International Convention against Corruption is proved.

The MP for Vilimale’ appealed for “cooperation and assistance” from opposition MPs in reviewing the legislation and addressing shortcomings at the committee stage.

In the ensuing debate, Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Ibrahim Hassan declared support for the legislation but suggested that the power to form a board of investment to oversee the zones should not be vested solely with the president.

JP MP Moosa Nizar Ibrahim suggested that environmental and national security concerns should be addressed, while JP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed said the bill contained “serious problems.”

While supporting the “concept” of SEZs, Ilham expressed concern with the bill offering tax exemptions to investors for a 10-year period and allowing uninhabited islands to be leased without advance payments.

The government would not receive any revenue from investors during the 10-year period, he noted, while investors would enjoy subsidised staple foodstuffs.

Incentives

PPM MP Jameel Usman argued that the bill was intended to assure investor confidence and offer incentives to choose the Maldives over other developing economies in the region.

SEZs in the Dominican Republic and Philippines created thousands of jobs, noted PPM MP Abdulla Rifau, suggesting that new jobs for Maldivian youth would make up for lost tax revenue.

Moreover, the bill requires investors to carry out corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, he added.

Incentives for investors offered in the bill include tax exemptions and relaxed regulations for employing foreign labour.

Investors would be exempted from paying either import duties for capital goods or business profit tax, goods and services tax and withholding tax.

Moreover, regulations on foreign workers would be relaxed while companies with foreign shareholders would be allowed to purchase land without paying privatisation fees or sales tax.

Geographical areas or regions declared an SEZ by the president would also be removed from the jurisdiction of local councils.

The nine SEZs envisioned in the bill includes an industrial estate zone, export processing zone, free trade zone, enterprise zone, free port zone, single factory export processing zone, offshore banking unit zone, offshore financial services centre zone, and a high technology park zone.

President Abdulla Yameen had declared in April that the SEZ bill would become “a landmark law” that would strengthen the country’s foreign investment regime.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

Majlis standing committees’ composition approved as parties reach compromise

A five-member select committee tasked with constituting parliament’s standing committees has finalised the composition of the 13 committees after political parties reached a compromise today.

Following weeks of disagreement, a proposal by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Shareef – seconded by MP Ahmed Amir from the government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – was passed with three votes in favour at the 12th meeting of the select committee.

In addition to Shareef and Amir, the select committee included MP Riyaz Rasheed as the chair from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), MP Gasim Ibrahim from the Jumhooree Party (JP), and MP Anara Naeem from the Adhaalath Party (AP).

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim did not participate in the vote after objecting to a change in the number of seats in some committees.

The committee decided to increase the number of seats in the public accounts oversight committee to 13 and reduce the number of seats in the petition committee and ethics committee to 10.

A proposal by MDA MP Amir to constitute the ‘241’ security services committee with 14 seats was also approved with six seats for the PPM, three seats for the MDP, two seats for the JP, one seat each for the MDA and AP, and one seat for Independent MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed.

Article 241 of the constitution states, “A committee of the People’s Majlis shall be established to exercise continuing oversight of the operations of the security services. The committee shall include representation from all the different political parties within the People’s Majlis.”

Aside from the 241 committee, Muaz – the sole remaining independent – was assigned to the ethics committee.

Reflecting the ruling coalition’s majority with its 46 MPs in the 85-member parliament, the PPM-MDA secured a voting majority on all standing committees with the exception of the privileges committee.

Parliamentary rules dictate proportional representation on the standing committees based on the number of MPs in each party.

Concluding the select committee meeting today, Chair Riyaz Rasheed said the committee’s report will be submitted to the Majlis floor, where it would be put to a vote.

The PPM MP for Thaa Vilifushi expressed gratitude to political parties for agreeing to compromise.

The protracted dispute over the allocation of seats on standing committees has left parliament deadlocked since the first regular sitting on June 2.

Two consecutive sittings had been called off amid disorder in the chamber after MDP MPs insisted that preliminary debate on bills could not begin in the absence of standing committees to review legislation.

Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed adjourned yesterday’s sitting to hold discussions with political party leaders.

At last week’s sitting, pro-government MPs had accused the opposition of obstructing the Majlis to thwart the government’s legislative agenda, while MDP MPs accused the ruling coalition of attempting to create “a one-party state” without parliamentary oversight.

Today’s sitting was meanwhile adjourned to allow the select committee to conclude its work. Speaker Maseeh has since announced that the next sitting will take place at 10:30am on Monday (June 30).

The first piece of legislation up for debate is the bill on establishing special economic zones, the centrepiece of the government’s legislative agenda.

Majlis composition:-

PPM – 41 MPs (48.2%)

MDP – 24 MPs (28.2%)

JP – 13 MPs (15.3%)

MDA – 5 MPs (5.9%)

AP – 1 MP (1.2%)

Independents – 1 MP (1.2%)

Standing committees:-

Public Accounts Committee – six seats for PPM, four seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

Government Oversight Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

Independent Institutions Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

‘241’ Security Services Committee – six seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, one seat for MDA, one seat for AP, and one seat for the Independent MP.

National Security Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

Social Affairs Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for AP.

Economic Affairs Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

National Development Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, one seat for JP, one seat for MDA, and one seat for AP.

Rules Committee – six seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, one seat for JP, and one seat for MDA.

Ethics Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, one seat for JP, and one seat for the Independent MP.

Privileges Committee – six seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, and two seats for JP

Petition Committee – six seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, and one seat for JP

General Affairs Committee – five seats for PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat for MDA.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

Political parties remain deadlocked over majlis committee composition

Political parties remain at a deadlock over the composition of People’s Majlis standing committees after an attempt to hold a select committee meeting failed last night.

A parliamentary sitting was cancelled on June 17 after MPs disrupted the sitting, protesting against the “unfair” composition of Majlis standing committees.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had objected in particular to a ruling coalition majority in the government oversight committee.

The five member select committee was reconvened on Saturday night to review committee composition during which MDP MP Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef tabled a motion requesting the MDP and former ruling coalition member Jumhooree Party be given majority in key oversight committees.

Shareef requested four MDP members – two JP members and four ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) members – sit on the government oversight committee, independent commissions oversight committee, and public finance committee.

Ruling coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) MP Ali Mauroof submitted a motion to raise the total number of MPs in the independent commissions oversight committee and public finance committee from 11 to 13, and decrease number of MPs in the regulations committee and petitions committee to nine.

Mauroof’s proposition did not get sufficient support in the committee, before the MP walked out causing a loss of quorum just minutes before Shareef’s proposition was be put to the vote.

Three members are required for quorum. Only four of the five members were present last night. Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem was not in the country when the meeting was held.

Coalition majority

MDA Council Member Nazeera Ibrahim told Minivan News the “only way forward” was to ensure a majority for the ruling coalition in all committees.

“Our coalition holds the majority number of seats in the parliament. So the only way to move forward now is for us to get majority in all the committees. That is the only solution,” she said.

However, the MDP and JP have called on the PPM to compromise and allow an opposition majority in oversight committees

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that the only way forward is for PPM to allow the opposition party to fill the seats that they are ‘entitled’ to.

The MDP is entitled to four seats in three committees and three seats in nine committees as per regulations, Ibu said.

“After PPM, MDP holds the highest number of seats. So as per regulations, after PPM selects its committees, it is MDP that must get the second choice. However, in reality, PPM is allowing MDA – which holds only five seats – to have its say over that of the MDP. This is not how it should be done,” he explained.

“The question that has given rise to so much debate and disgruntlement is which three committees will the MDP get four seats in. We are saying we want the seats in committees with oversight functions,” he said.

Undemocratic

Meanwhile, JP MP Ahmed Sameer accused the ruling party of being “undemocratic” due to their efforts to garner a majority in committees with oversight functions.

“We do not believe that the governing party has to have majority in the oversight committees, while it is alright for them to lead the bill drafting committees. It is highly undemocratic of PPM to attempt to get majority in oversight committees. It is not their role, but the role of the opposition to oversee their performance,” Sameer said.

He further stated that it is “neither democratic, healthy, nor beneficial to the people” that “PPM is trying to change all parliamentarians to share their beliefs and ideologies,” alleging that the PPM had used coercion and bribery to convince some MPs to switch parties.

Sameer said he believed the PPM had encouraged Mauroof to walk out from the select committee.

“The chair of the special committee is a member of PPM. Also, PPM’s parliamentary group leader sits in the committee. A coalition partner would not have walked out without the explicit approval of the ruling party, as I see it. We cannot at all accept the government’s efforts to bring the whole parliament under their control,” he stated.

Religious conservative Adhaalath Party Spokesperson Ali Zahir confirmed that the party – with one seat in the Majlis – has also requested to be included in specific committees, while he declined to reveal which committees they were.

“The matter needs to be resolved immediately. The parties need to come to some form of compromise, and parliamentary work needs to progress for the benefit of the people. The AP has not, and will not, disrupt the proceeding of any committee,” Zahir said.

PPM MP Ibrahim Sujau declined from commenting on the matter, redirecting the questions to the party’s Parliamentary Group Leader Ahmed Nihan, who was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

JP open to negotiations with PPM, says Gasim

The Jumhooree Party (JP) is open to discussions with the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) as the party does not believe the coalition agreement has been terminated, JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim has said.

Speaking at a press conference at the JP headquarters in Malé yesterday (June 17), Gasim said he was pleased that President Abdulla Yameen had said that the parties could discuss problems with the coalition agreement, adding that the JP was ready to join discussions at a time and place of the PPM’s choosing.

“We are ready to go forward in the best interest’s of the nation’s peace and stability,” the business tycoon said.

Unlike other political arrangements, Gasim stressed that the coalition agreement between the parties was signed in the presence of witnesses with the signatories swearing by God to uphold the agreement.

“How can it be said that such an agreement has been dissolved without any just reason? I am certainly frightened that they decided that such an agreement has been dissolved,” the MP for Maamigili said, adding that he feared the “wrath of God” as a result of the PPM’s actions, which would affect “innocent people” as well.

He noted that former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had signed the agreement on behalf of the PPM in his capacity as the party’s leader.

Gasim said that the JP has yet to be officially notified in writing of the termination of the coalition agreement.

The PPM had announced in a press statement that the party’s council decided unanimously on May 26 that the agreement “has been brought to an end by the Jumhooree Party as of today” after Gasim contested for the post of Majlis speaker.

Holding up the agreement and reading out clauses at the press conference, Gasim said that the PPM had so far not been able to explain which part of the agreement that the JP breached.

Gasim also contended that the PPM had violated the agreement by failing to either consult the coalition partner before nominating individuals to independent institutions – such as President Yameen’s nephew Maumoon Hameed for prosecutor general – or provide 33 percent of political posts in the executive as stipulated in the agreement.

Campaign trail

After initially announcing that the party would remain neutral, the JP’s council decided to endorse Yameen three days before the second round of the presidential polls on November 16 after JP candidate Gasim finished in third place in the first round with 23.37 percent of the vote.

Gasim claimed yesterday that he had spent MVR20 million on Yameen’s campaign ahead of the run-off polls on November 16 as the coalition agreement stated that the parties should support each other.

Gasim said he gave part of the money at the request of Yameen and his running mate Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed while the rest was spent for JP members to visit islands on campaign trips.

Moreover, Gasim claimed to have spent a further MVR20 million for the PPM during the parliamentary election campaign.

“I sent an amount no less than MVR20 million to President Maumoon and President Yameen,” he said.

Of the coalition candidates to whom Gasim provided financial assistance, the JP leader said former MP for Kinbidhoo, Moosa Zameer, was the only PPM candidate to have lost.

Gasim went on to criticise the two JP MPs – Milandhoo MP Hassan Mufeed Abdul Gadhir and Nolhivaram MP Hussain Afeef – who signed for the ruling party this week, noting that the pair had signed an agreement under oath to remain in the JP until the end of their five-year terms.

He noted that members of coalition partners switching parties was a violation of the agreement.

Gasim said he had heard that the pair were given MVR10 million each to switch allegiances as well as suggesting that the MPs had told him the government had threatened to cease development projects in their constituencies.

Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim and Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed had also told the JP leader that they decided to sign for PPM as they could not continue their work without doing so, Gasim said.

JP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed meanwhile argued that the ministers should have resigned from the cabinet before signing for the ruling party as the pair had been appointed to JP slots.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

Majlis sitting called off amid opposition protest over committee composition

Today’s sitting of parliament has been called off by Speaker Abdulla Maseeh after opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs raised consecutive points of order objecting to the composition of the Majlis’ 13 standing committees.

Adjourning the sitting amid disorder in the chamber, Speaker Maseeh announced that he would “discuss the issue of the standing committees with political party leaders.”

Government-aligned MPs accused the opposition of obstructing proceedings to thwart its legislative agenda.

The standing committees were constituted yesterday by a select committee with the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner (MDA) securing a majority on government oversight committees.

The five-member select committee – comprised of a representative from the five political parties in parliament – approved the composition of committees after MDP MP Ibrahim Shareef walked out of yesterday’s committee meeting in protest, contending that the seat allocation was unfair.

The committee’s decision will be put to a vote on the Majlis floor on Monday (June 23).

At the beginning of today’s sitting, Speaker Maseeh gave the floor to MP Rozaina Adam to present legislation on medical negligence ahead of a preliminary debate.

The MDP MP for Addu Meedhoo however declared that she was withdrawing the proposed legislation as there were “no committees in the Majlis to review this bill.”

“And we don’t know when [the standing committees] are going to be formed. So our People’s Majlis is in a state today where we cannot even envisage when the committee is going to be formed and when it would be able to consult relevant authorities and work on the bill,” she said.

Rozaina said she wished to make changes to the bill after consulting the Medical Association of Maldives, after which it be resubmitted as soon as standing committees are constituted.

Speaker Maseeh, however, insisted repeatedly that parliamentary rules allow for the formation of ad hoc or select committees to review legislation.

The report forwarded by the select committee formed to constitute standing committees will be tabled in the agenda for Monday’s sitting, he added.

Standing committees

MP Ibrahim Shareef – who represented the opposition party in the select committee that approved the standing committee composition – contended that the legislative process could not begin in the absence of standing committees.

While the MDP had been willing to compromise on the committee composition, Shareef said the PPM did not want the opposition party to have a voice in parliament or be able to exercise oversight.

The ruling party had begun efforts to “create an autocratic one-party state like we had 30 years ago,” he said.

In the wake of the select committee decision yesterday, Shareef told reporters that the opposition party would be forced to resort to direct action if its MPs were not afforded the opportunity to hold the government accountable through parliament.

Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Ilham Ahmed accused the speaker of stalling as the government had not finished “hunting” for new MPs.

Two JP MPs signed for the PPM yesterday, joining a number of political appointees who have switched to the ruling party in the wake of the termination of the agreement between the former coalition partners.

MPs who leave their party should be “ashamed” of themselves, the JP deputy leader said.

“We will not allow a brutal and autocratic rule. You should believe, we saw two or three MDP working alone courageously,” he said, referring to the MDP MPs’ efforts in the Special Majlis or constitutional assembly convened to revise the constitution.

“We will see that here again. So I don’t believe the Majlis can carry on before committees are formed,” he said.

“Obstruction”

Pro-government MPs meanwhile accused opposition MPs of attempting to stall parliamentary proceedings and obstruct the government.

PPM MP Saud Hussain accused opposition MPs of scheming to disrupt parliament with points of order and prevent debate on government-sponsored legislation.

PPM MP Riyaz Rasheed – chair of the select committee that determined composition of standing committees – urged the opposition party to resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue.

“There’s nothing you can make us do by yelling. We should do things peacefully,” he said.

PPM MP Ali Arif argued that the opposition party had no grounds to complain as the party had been granted 39 seats on the standing committees, which reflected the party’s numbers in parliament.

Moreover, he added, the absence of standing committees was not a problem at the moment as preliminary debate had not been completed for any piece of legislation so far.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed meanwhile stated on social media that standing committees should be formed in accordance with “the spirit of the constitution” to allow parliament to hold the executive answerable.

“MDP is the party that represents the whole Maldives. Thanks to MDP MPs,” the opposition leader tweeted.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

“President Yameen’s administration will fall in a coup,” says Nasheed

The presidential system of government in the Maldives is unstable and will result in more coup d’états, former President and opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed has said.

“The presidential system in the Maldives has not brought about a secure government. There is no doubt of coups in the Maldives. President [Abdulla] Yameen’s administration will fall in a coup. It will be overthrown,” he told Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters at a rally in Malé on Sunday.

Nasheed, the first democratically elected leader in the Maldives, claims he was ousted in a coup just three years into his term in February 2012.

However, a Commonwealth backed Commission of National Inquiry (CONI) called the transfer of power “legal and constitutional.”

The MDP subsequently expressed concern over the exclusion of key security personnel testimony while legal experts accused CONI of selectively gathering and acting upon evidence.

Nasheed said he was not suggesting the MDP would carry out the coup, but that those in power should not rule out a coup given the legitimisation of the February 2012 change of power and the Supreme Court’s silence on the matter.

“I am not by any means suggesting we will carry out a coup. The legitimate means of changing regimes has been demonstrated in 2012. The Supreme Court has demonstrated how to interpret the constitution. With that legitimacy, both ourselves and those in power, we should not rule out the possibility that another group may overthrow the government,” he said.

Nasheed once again proposed amending the constitution of the Maldives to a parliamentary system of government, especially in the aftermath of the dissolution of the ruling coalition.

Yameen’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) came to power with the backing of third placed candidate Gasim Ibrahim in November’s presidential polls.

Gasim had won 23.35 percent of the vote in the first round of presidential polls last year, and his eventual backing was crucial for the PPM’s win in the second round.

The PPM had gained 29.72 percent of the vote in the first round and narrowly won the election against Nasheed with 51.39 percent.

Gasim’s Jumhooree Party (JP) support was contingent on a 35 percent stake in government and a pledge to jointly contest March parliamentary polls.

The coalition fell apart in a dispute over which party should control the Majlis speaker position. Gasim narrowly lost the vote to PPM’s Abdulla Maseeh.

Nasheed himself required the backing of the JP and a number of smaller parties to win the presidential election of 2008. The coalition led by Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also fell apart shortly after Nasheed assumed power.

Speaking to private broadcaster Raajje TV in May, Nasheed said he would work through the new parliament to amend the constitution and facilitate a transition to a parliamentary system.

“It is time for the system of governance in Maldives to be changed into a parliamentary system. When we move to a parliamentary system there won’t be any need to have a cabinet,” said Nasheed.

“The cabinet is very costly, we can cut down that as well [by moving to a parliamentary system]. What I want to say to President Maumoon is to think about how the Maldives has been governed in the past and what happened during the drafting of the constitution,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Minivan News in February, Nasheed said: “Coalitions work in parliamentary systems where you can actually have ministers coming out from the parliament and therefore it’s possible to come to an arrangement. But when the cabinet is not in the parliament, an alliance doesn’t necessarily work.”

“The shuffling or the portions given to different parties are given from the cabinet, and the cabinet is a very superficial layer on the government. The actual essence is the parliament where you make the laws.”

Nasheed had raised the same issue during his presidency in July 2010 in response to difficulties in governance. At the time, Nasheed’s MDP controlled a minority in parliament while the then-opposition opposed and blocked several flagship laws.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

PPM-MDA coalition secures majority on government oversight committees as MDP threatens street action

The composition of parliament’s standing committees has been approved today with the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) securing a majority on key government oversight committees.

The seat allocation on the 13 standing committees was decided by a five-member select committee – chosen at the first regular sitting of the 18th People’s Majlis earlier this month.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) select committee member MP Ibrahim Shareef, however, walked out in protest after claiming his party had not been adequately included in the decision.

Prior to today’s meeting of the select committee, political parties had been unable to reach an agreement on the committee composition as a two-week deadline stipulated by parliamentary rules elapsed last week.

A proposal by MDA MP Ali Mauroof to have 11 members on each standing committee with the exception of the ‘241’ security services committee was passed with the support of Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim and Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem.

Parliamentary rules dictate proportional representation in standing committees for political parties based on the number of MPs in each party.

The ruling coalition with its 43 MPs secured a majority on the public accounts committee, government oversight committee, independent institutions committee, national security committee, and economic affairs committees with five PPM MPs and one MDA MP on each committee. Former coalition partner JP was allocated two slots on each oversight committee.

The opposition MDP with its 25 MPs was meanwhile allocated four seats each in the government accountability committee, rules committee, and petition committee and three seats in the other ten committees.

On the security services committee, the select committee decided to allocate four seats for the PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat each for the MDA and Adhaalath. The sole remaining independent MP, Muaz Mohamed Rasheed, was also given a seat on the 241 committee.

Concluding today’s meeting of the select committee, Chair MP Riyaz Rasheed said the committee report will be forwarded to the Majlis floor for approval.

The 13 standing committees includes four committees dealing with affairs of parliament in addition to nine oversight committees.

Parliamentary proceedings had been stalled pending the constitution of standing committees. A regular sitting has meanwhile been scheduled for tomorrow (June 17).

Street action

Speaking to reporters following the select committee meeting, MDP MP Shareef declared that the minority party would not participate in the standing committees.

The committees were constituted “unjustly” without the participation or input of the main opposition party, Shareef said.

“We will protest in the chamber and we will take to the streets too if we have to,” he warned.

Shareef had warned at a press conference yesterday (June 15) that the MDP would be forced to resort to direct action or street protests if the party was unable to hold the government accountable through parliament.

An opposition majority on government oversight committees – the public accounts committee in particular – was international best practice, he noted. Shareef argued that the opposition party could not exercise proper oversight over public finances without control of the public accounts committee.

The PPM was however unwilling to concede seats on the key oversight committees, he said.

PPM parliamentary group leader, Ahmed Nihan, had told local media last week that the coalition wanted majorities on the oversight committee to ensure that opposition MPs are unable to obstruct the government.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)

Select committee decides composition of ‘241’ security services committees

The composition of parliament’s ‘241’ security services committee has been determined today by a five-member select committee chosen at Monday’s sitting.

Parliamentary rules dictate proportional representation in standing committees for political parties based on the number of MPs in each party.

The select committee decided to allocate four seats for the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), three seats for the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), two seats for the Jumhooree Party (JP), and one seat each for the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) and the Adhaalath Party (AP).

Along with Independent MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed, the committee will consist of 12 MPs.

The select committee decided the number of seats to allocate for each party in the other 12 standing committees during meetings yesterday.

The PPM with 38 MPs will have five seats each from 11 committees and four seats from one committee while the MDP with 25 MPs will have four seats from nine committees and one seat from three committees.

The JP with 15 MPs will have two seats each from 11 committees and one seat from one committee.

The MDA with its five MPs will have one seat from eight committees while Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem and Independent MP Muaz will each sit in two committees.

Likes

(0)Dislikes

(0)