Tag: Jumhooree party

VP says government work unaffected by coalition split as JP ministers suspended

The breakup of the Progressive Coalition will not affect the work of the government, insists Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed following Jumhooree Party’s (JP) exit from the group.

Jameel’s comments to local media come as the President’s Office confirmed Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim and two of his junior ministers – all JP members – had been asked to ‘stay at home’.

After coalition partner Gasim Ibrahim chose to stand – albeit unsuccessfully – for the Majlis speaker’s position yesterday, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) released a statement officially ending the coalition agreement.

“In accordance with the unanimous decision of the PPM council at an emergency meeting on the night of May 26, 2014, we announce that the coalition agreement made between this party and the Jumhooree Party has been brought to an end by the Jumhooree Party as of today,” read the statement.

The party had previously threatened to dissolve the pact should JP leader Gasim stand in competition for the post.

Additionally, in response to Gasim’s complaints that the PPM had breached the coalition agreement by not providing his party with only 29 of the 40-90 promised appointments, President Abdulla Yameen claimed many of its nominees had been unqualified.

Tourism Minister and head of the cabinet’s economic council Ahmed Adeeb earlier this week expressed his intention to ask Yameen to replace JP’s political appointees in the event of a split.

The two junior ministers suspended today have been named by local media as State Minister for Transport Ahmed Zubair and Deputy Minister of Transport Ikram Hassan.

President’s Office spokesman Ibrahim Muaz told local media that the suspensions were in relation to the coalition split, and will remain in place until the matter is resolved.

Balance of power

While the PPM’s Abdulla Maseeh won the vote at the opening of yesterday’s 18th People’s Majlis, the narrow victory appeared to suggest the impact the split will have on the government.

“Gasim holds the balance of power – I think this will destabilise the government seriously,” said opposition Maldivian Democratic Party Spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor today. “We suspect it won’t last for five years.”

Hamid pointed to his party’s experience of governance, following its own short-lived coalition with Gasim’ JP in 2008. After concerted anti-government pressure and months of street demonstrations, the MDP government fell in early 2012.

The PPM currently controls 44 percent of the Majlis – 37 seats – while the opposition MDP hold 29 percent – 25 seats. The JP controls 18 percent of the house – 15 seats, with the Adhaalath’s sole representative and two independents making up the 85-seat legislature.

PPM MP Maseeh received 43 votes to secure the speaker’s chair yesterday, with Gasim receiving the support of 39 members.

The fine balance left in the wake of the coalition split was also evident in the election of MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik – who took the deputy speaker’s position with 42 votes to his PPM opponent’s 41.

In yesterday evening’s statement, the PPM cited the JP’s co-operation with the MDP in Moosa’s election as further cause for the coalition split – depicting the dissolution of the agreement as the JP’s decision.

Speaking with local media, Vice President Jameel said that the JP was going against the citizen’s wishes by working with MDP – who last month endorsed Gasim’s candidacy for speaker.

Jameel today argued that unity against the MDP had been the basis of the coalition.

The parties entered a formal coalition agreement ahead of last year’s presidential election run-off between the MDP’s Mohamed Nasheed and PPM’s Yameen after Gasim has placed third.

Gasim’s endorsement of Yameen proved to be crucial in the PPM-led coalition’s narrow victory in the second round of November’s presidential polls.

“From JP leader Gasim to everyone in all levels, were working against the MDP’s actions. For example, the GMR issue and the detention of Judge Abdulla. Are they now saying all of that is fine? I am saying this because [Gasim] has spoken of how it is easy for the two of them [Gasim and Nasheed] to work together,” said Jameel.

“It is the citizens who suffer the most when JP acts against the spirit and aim of the coalition. It is now questionable if JP can work with any party in a coalition,” said Jameel, before telling local media to expect further developments in the coming week.

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Gasim will have to withdraw candidacy for Majlis speaker, says President Yameen

Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim “will have to withdraw” his candidacy for speaker of the 18th People’s Majlis, due to be sworn in on Wednesday (May 28), President Abdulla Yameen has said.

Speaking to reporters this morning prior to his departure to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, Yameen said that “a lot of discussion” has taken place with the JP leader on the issue of the speakership.

“The party has informed Gasim twice in writing of our position as well as what could happen as a result of [Gasim contesting for speaker]. However, Gasim has not accepted it yet,” Yameen said.

The “fraternity” of the Progressive Coalition – made up of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), JP and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – could be adversely affected if the business tycoon sought the speaker’s post, Yameen warned.

The “common practice” across the world was for the speaker of parliament to belong to the party with the most number of seats, he contended.

“So other parties in the coalition putting forward names is not commonly done,” he said.

While Gasim has not responded to the PPM’s last letter, Yameen said the ruling party was still open for talks with the coalition partner.

“But I don’t know what else we could do for Gasim. Gasim will just have to withdraw his name the way I see it. There isn’t anything more we could do for Gasim at this point,” he added.

Internal strife

In the wake of the president’s remarks today, JP Secretary General Ahmed Sameer told local media that the party’s council will hold a meeting to decide its stance.

The next speaker will be elected through secret ballot at the first sitting of the 18th People’s Majlis on Wednesday.

Yameen meanwhile revealed that the PPM’s parliamentary group had decided yesterday to nominate MPs-elect Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed for speaker and Abdul Raheem Abdulla for deputy speaker following consultation with former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Asked about PPM MP Ahmed Nazim’s bid for the speaker’s post, Yameen said the outgoing deputy speaker was free to contest independently of the party, but expressed confidence that “a person as responsible as Nazim” would not do so.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb – deputy leader of the PPM – has meanwhile claimed  that allegations of corruption that surfaced in the press last week were linked to his refusal to support certain individuals for the speaker’s post.

Adeeb claimed that MP Nazim was behind the corruption allegations, which are currently under investigation by both the Anti-Corruption Commission and auditor general’s office.

Adeeb said he could not back Nazim as he was suspected of “blackmail” and “corruption” and declared his support for Maseeh.

“This problem [corruption allegations] has come up because my stand is strong inside the PPM. I am accused of these things because I take the stand that is most beneficial to the country. And because I have influence within PPM,” he was quoted as saying by newspaper Haveeru.

Zero-sum game

Maseeh, Raheem, and Nazim were re-elected in the March 22 parliamentary polls, which saw the Progressive Coalition secure a combined total of 53 out of 85 seats.

However, neither party won enough seats to reach the 43-vote simple majority on its own.

Following the signing of three out of the five independent candidates elected to the 18th parliament, the PPM currently has 37 seats, followed by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) with 25 seats, the JP with 15 seats, the MDA with five seats, and the religious conservative Adhaalath Party with one seat.

MDP MP-elect for the Thimarafushi constituency, Mohamed Musthafa, also signed for the ruling party a week after the parliamentary polls.

While the PPM and MDA together have 42 seats, PPM MPs-elect Ahmed Mahloof and Ahmed Nihan revealed after the parliamentary elections that the pair had pledged their support for Gasim’s bid to become speaker during negotiations for forming the Progressive Coalition ahead of last year’s presidential election runoff.

However, PPM Leader Gayoom told local media this week that Gasim was not promised the speaker’s post as part of the coalition agreement between the parties.

Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Nasheed – acting president of the MDP – signalled the opposition party’s support for Gasim following a meeting at the business tycoon’s residence last month.

The MDP announced last Friday (May 23) that the party’s 25 MPs-elect would back a candidate who support’s the parties policies, including judicial reform, empowerment of local councils as well as the introduction of a progressive income tax and a minimum wage.

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Government coalition remains strong, insists President Yameen

The ruling Progressive Coalition remains strong and united despite minor problems in the coalition’s “internal dynamics”, President Abdulla Yameen told the press yesterday prior to departing on his official visit to Japan.

Asked about rumblings of discontent from coalition partners, President Yameen suggested that the main issue of contention was appointing members of coalition parties to political posts, which posed difficulties to the government.

“One thing is that I don’t want the government to be one with that many political posts. I wanted to keep political posts within some limit,” he said.

Yameen explained that he had decided that political appointees should not exceed the number of appointees under the previous administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed.

“However, the written agreement of our coalition had higher figures than before,” he conceded.

President Waheed’s administration comprised of the same parties in the current ruling coalition.

Members of coalition parties as well as the Adhaalath Party worked hard in the presidential campaign to secure the coalition’s victory, Yameen continued, and were “awaiting some kind of post” in the government.

A second issue was the preference for appointing educated youth to political posts with a first degree as a minimum requirement, Yameen said.

Parties sought to secure appointments for its members to the boards of government-owned corporations, though Yameen said the executive’s hands were tied by the new privatisation law.

The president’s nominees are evaluated by the privatisation committee and individuals who do not meet the criteria are rejected, he added.

Similarly, nominees for diplomatic posts such as high commissioners and ambassadors must have a background in foreign affairs, Yameen said.

Tension within the coalition was caused by the difficulties in appointing members of coalition parties to their desired posts, said Yameen, though he insisted that there were no problems at the leadership level.

While the problems related to appointments could persist, Yameen said he did not believe it could “affect the coalition too much”.

The number of political appointees in the executive presently exceeds 100, with four deputy ministers on average for each ministry.

The president’s remarks came after Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim revealed at a rally on Saturday night that JP members have been appointed to only 29 political posts so far.

JP was promised 35 percent of all political appointees in the coalition agreement, Gasim noted.

“For example, if the government is making 400 political appointments, 29 is not 35 percent of that amount. [If it is 35 percent] there would be more. But if 29 appointments is 35 percent [of political appointments] then we are content,” the business tycoon said.

“But if we consider this figure, it should definitely reach 100. If this is not the case [we have to] look in to this.”

Friction

The JP was meanwhile absent from the celebration rally held earlier this month by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance.

Several unsuccessful JP candidates have contended that they lost due to PPM members contesting as independents in constituencies reserved for the JP in the coalition seat allocation deal.

Explaining JP’s absence at the celebration rally, Gasim said that the event was organised by the PPM rather than the coalition.

Gasim claimed JP leaders were not given the opportunity to speak at the rally – “not even to give words of thanks”.

He further accused the PPM leadership of refusing to grant the JP’s request to alter the agenda to allow JP members to address coalition supporters.

Following the coalition’s victory in the March 22 parliamentary polls, the PPM and JP announced that the coalition partners would be fielding separate candidates to become the next speaker of parliament.

The speaker will be elected through secret ballot following the swearing-in ceremony for MPs-elect scheduled for May 28.

On the dispute over the speaker’s post, President Yameen told reporters yesterday that discussions on the issue have not taken place yet.

Yameen stressed the importance of parliament’s cooperation for the executive to implement policies, deliver services and fulfil campaign pledges, noting that parliamentary approval was needed for obtaining loans.

No one should be allowed to either obstruct the government from providing services to the public or “slow down” the legislative process, he added.

“So for that reason I want the speaker of parliament post for my party. I know Gasim is also interested. God willing, we will discuss it further with Gasim within the coalition,” he said.

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Umar calls on coalition to downsize democracy using “super majority”

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has said the democracy imported from the west with the 2008 constitution is too big for the Maldives and and needs to be fitted to the country’s laws and the constitution.

Speaking at an event held at Thajuddin School last night to celebrate the Jumhooree Party’s (JP) parliamentary election success, Umar called on all MPs-elect from ruling coalition to assist in bringing this change using the parliamentary “super majority”.

“The result of having huge democracy coat is, you step on it when you are walking. And it’s sleeves are too long. So we need to re-size and fit this coat,” he said.

“Those who got elected [to the parliament] from Jumhooree Party, PPM [Progressive Party of Maldives] and MDA [Maldives Development Alliance], I request [you] to resize this coat so it would fit better. Some minor adjustments to laws are required to achieve that.”

Umar said the laws and regulations have “surrounded and tied up” the judicial system and that this makes it difficult for the state to move.

He also said that sloppy and slow-moving laws have become an obstacle in controlling the drug abuse issue and in penalising people arrested for drug-related and other crimes. He described the legal difficulties as being “stuck legal traffic”.

Umar noted that the “super majority” in the parliament is a golden opportunity for the ruling coalition to develop the country.

After a number of post-election defections, the Progressive Coalition has swelled to 57 members of the expanded 85 member Majlis, with 37 Progressive Party of Maldives members, five from the Maldives Development Alliance and 15 from the JP.

Speaking after the Home Minister yesterday evening , JP leader Gasim Ibrahim – who chaired the People’s Special Majlis which drafted the constitution – said the coat of democracy is perfectly fit for Maldives and the constitution does not require any amendments.

He said what is needed is for the person implementing the law to know how to do it.

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Gasim warns government against betraying coalition, says JP sidelined from victory rally

Speaking at the Jumhooree Party (JP) parliamentary election victory rally ‘Dhivehi Rayyithunnah Saabas’ last night the party leader Gasim Ibrahim warned that failing to fulfill coalition promises would be bad.

Gasim said that he had been doing everything President Abdulla Yameen has asked of him and that he expects the ruling coalition not to betray the promises made amongst the allies.

Stating that things should not be forgotten, and that promises should be fulfilled, Gasim said any failure to do so would “result in zero”.

The JP leader noted that while his party was promised 35 percent in the government, only 29 political appointments have been allocated to them so far.

“For example, if the government is making 400 political appointments, 29 is not 35 percent of that amount. [If it is 35 percent] there would be more. But if 29 appointments is 35 percent [of political appointments] then we are content.”

“But if we consider this figure, it should definitely reach 100. If this is not the case [we have to] look in to this,” Gasim said.

Gasim argued that the JP had lost ten seats in the parliamentary elections due to some “other reasons”, the details of which he said he does not want to delve into. Otherwise, he argued, the party could have won in 25 out of the total 28 constituencies in which he competed.

Gasim has earlier said that leading figures from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) competed as independents in eight of the 28 constituencies allocated for JP under the coalition seat allocation deal. Pro-coalition Adhaalath Party – sidelined from the deal – also ran in constituencies allocated for both the PPM and JP.

Earlier this month the ruling progressive coalition led by President Yameen’s PPM held a rally to mark the parliamentary election victory, but the JP was not present at the event.

Explaining JP’s absence, Gasim said said yesterday that it was not a coalition event but a PPM event. He said no JP members were given the opportunity to speak at the rally – “not even to give words of thanks”.

He said the PPM leadership refused a request to alter the rally agenda to allow JP members to speak.

The JP backed PPM the second round of presidential election 2013 after failing to reach a deal to contest with a single candidate in the re-run of the first round. The JP backing was essential for President Abdulla Yameen’s win over Maldivian Democratic Party’s Mohamed Nasheed in the second round.

Since the coalition government was formed – with the JP promised 35 percent in the government- the two parties have faced a number of major disagreements, though both have denied claims of a rifts in the coalition.

A major poing of contention was during the budget allocation last December when President Yameen requested that the PPM decide upon the details of the budget. JP leader Gasim said his party was not consulted regarding the budget and proposed a number of amendments.

More recently, both parties decided to field separate candidates for the position of parliament speaker creating further tensions within the coalition.

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Jumhooree Party fined for fraudulent membership applications

For the second time this month Elections Commission has fined Jumhooree Party (JP) over fraudulent membership applications.

According to the commission, the JP used one person’s finger print on multiple party application forms – the fifth time the party has been caught doing this.

The JP have now been asked to pay a fine of MVR9,000 as per Article 48 (a) of the Political Parties Act.

The party was fined with MVR8,000 earlier this month for the same reason.

Along with the JP, the Progressive Party of Maldives was also fined MVR7,000 for submitting party application in contravention of the Political Parties Act for a third time.

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Majlis elections: Gasim reveals decision to stand as speaker of the Majlis

Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim has reportedly decided to stand as speaker of the  People’s Majlis following the Progressive Coalition’s success in Saturday’s elections.

Despite telling media that he had no plans to stand for the position on Tuesday, Gasim confirmed to Haveeru today that he will put his name forward, with the full backing of his coalition partners.

While the EC has yet to officially announce all the results, the governing coalition – which includes Gasim’s JP alongside the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), and the Maldives Development Alliance – looks set to win a comfortable 53 seat majority, including 15 seats for the JP.

Despite expressing his satisfaction with Saturday’s results – which included re-election to his own Maamigili constituency seat – Gasim earlier this week accused coalition party members costing his party almost a third of the seats in which they contested.

Other disgruntled JP candidates accused the PPM of attempting to “destroy” its coalition partner, suggesting that PPM members masquerading as independents actively campaigned against Gasim’s party.

The party’s leader has assured Haveeru today that his decision has the full backing of the PPM and the MDA – winners of 33 and 5 seats, respectively.

“I wouldn’t have come to this decision if I didn’t have the backing of the coalition partners, would I?” Gasim asked the newspaper.

Reputedly the Maldives’ wealthiest individual, Gasim is one of the country’s most prominent businessmen. His Villa Group has interests in numerous sectors, including tourism, education, media, and aviation, as well as carrying out philanthropic activities through the Villa Foundation.

Having previously served as finance minister between 2005 and 2008, and speaker of the Special Majlis – charged with drafting the 2008 constitution – Gasim’s spokesperson Ibrahim Khaleel told Sun Online that the MP had the experience to handle the pressure.

The speaker’s chair is currently filled by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Abdulla Shahid. Despite Shahid himself being returned to the Majlis following Saturday’s polling, 17 MDP incumbents failed to win election to the 18th Majlis, leaving the party with just 29 seats.

The constitution requires that the speaker and deputy speaker’s positions should be filled on the first sitting of the house following a general election, after a secret ballot among members.

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JP member files case seeking Majlis elections delay

Jumhooree Party (JP) Youth Wing President Moosa Anwar has filed a case at the Supreme Court seeking a court order to delay Saturday’s scheduled Majlis elections.

“It is a case saying that the Elections Commission must consist of at least five members including the president of the Elections Commission,” Anwar told Minivan News.

“It’s in article 168 of the constitution. Currently the Elections Commission is not complete. So I don’t believe that they can hold an election.”

The Elections Commission (EC) currently consists of three members – the mandatory quorum needed for the group to hold meetings and pass decisions –  following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of EC President Fuwad Thowfeek and Vice President Mohamed Fayaz on charges of contempt of court and disobeying the court’s orders.

In the days following the court’s ruling, the Majlis approved Ismail Habeeb as the commission’s third member – joining existing commissioners Ali Mohamed Manik and Mohamed Farooq.

Anwar’s case also concerns the Majlis’ rejection of the Supreme Court’s ruling. A letter sent to senior government figures following the dismissals argued that the EC leadership was removed in contravention of the constitutional procedures governing their appointment and dismissal.

The letter was signed by both the Speaker of the Majlis Ahmed Shahid and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim – MP’s with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

“I have also requested the Supreme Court to disqualify their parliament membership and also their candidacy for this election,” said Anwar.

The case was file with the court at 1:30pm today, explained the JP member, although he had yet to receive confirmation that the court had accepted the case.

The Supreme Court earlier this week advised the EC that polls could proceed, despite the failure to gain the signatures of all candidates.

Approval of the voter registry was mandated in the Supreme Court’s 16-point guideline accompanying its annulment of last year’s presidential election first round.

Anwar explained that his decision was not a party one.

“None of the JP leaders have been informed. It was done on my own,” said Anwar.

“It has nothing to do with JP or any other party. This is not a politically motivated case. You will know that the vice president of the Majlis is also a government coalition member.”

Coalition unrest

News of Anwar’s case comes as an audio clip of JP leader Gasim Ibrahim has emerged on social media which appears to indicate unrest within the governing coalition.

In preparation for the upcoming Majlis polls, the three parties in the governing Progressive Coalition – PPM, JP, and Maldives Development Alliance – had agreed to allocate constituencies among the coalition partners, with the PPM contesting 50 seats, the JP contesting 28 seats, and the MDA contesting seven seats.

In the 2:49 clip, Gasim appears to criticise President Abdulla Yameen, former President and PPM leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and Home Minister Umar Naseer.

The audio appears to have been recorded after the revote of the presidential election, held on November 9 in which candidate Gasim finished third.

The court’s decision to annul the first round of the presidential poll came after Gasim had lodged a case alleging inconsistencies within the electoral register used on September 7.

In the recording, Gasim is heard saying that it would not be “easy on the heart” to endorse Yameen as he could not forget the “suffering” of his family under President Gayoom “even if I don’t say anything about it.”

“We couldn’t support Anni [MDP’s Mohamed Nasheed] because his principles are bad. We know how things are with Yameen. They are full of brutality,” he is heard saying.

The opposition MDP meanwhile put out a statement contending that the leaked audio shows that “Honourable Gasim joined the government coalition due to intimidation and political influence.”

As a result of the alleged mistrust among coalition leaders and their efforts to exert political influence over one another, the MDP contended that living standards have fallen and government services have deteriorated in the past four months.

“MDP has always been advocating that in a presidential system the public will not benefit from a coalition government. At such a critical juncture, this [leaked] phone calls has revealed the extent to which the coalition has unraveled,” the statement read.

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Gasim asserts importance of Majlis majority for the Maldives’ development

Jumhooree Party leader and resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim has stated that, in order to lift the Maldives out of its current situation and to ascertain it has a better future, President Abdulla Yameen needs to be given his five years of governance.

Speaking at a campaign event of the Progressive Coalition’s Villin’gili constituency candidate Saudh Hussain, Gasim said that everyone needed to cooperate to provide Yameen with a five year term to make right the current situation of the country.

Gasim added that this will be made possible by ensuring that there is a Progressive Coalition majority in the upcoming 18th parliament, adding that Maldives will find itself in severe hardship if the majority cannot be achieved.

Speaking of the past ten years, Gasim claimed that the development had failed to go according to plan.

“The first five years were spent in establishing democracy within political chaos. In other words, it was spent in the establishment of reasonable norms and democracy within a peaceful environment. However, not much thought was given to economical matters within these five years, and not much was achieved on that front,” Gasim stated.

“The last five years were spent to bring economical stability within democratic norms, but even that failed to go according to plan,” he continued.

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