Tag: parliament

MP Yameen dismisses allegations of blackmarket oil trade with Burma

Minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Leader MP Abdulla Yameen called on the government today to investigate allegations of US$800 million worth of blackmarket oil trade by the State Trading Organisation (STO) while he was chairman of the state-owned enterprise.

During parliamentary debate on a resolution proposed by MP Mohamed Musthafa demanding an investigation into the allegations, Yameen conceded that STO did sell oil to Burma “but if you claim that the trade was illegal, you have to prove it first.”

“This was done by forming a company in a country where such matters are most closely monitored,” he said. “That company is audited by STO auditors. An illegal business would not be allowed to operate in Singapore. This was not a secret trade.”

Yameen added that STO senior officials alleged to be involved in the oil trade were still employed by the government: “They are now in high posts in the MDP,” he said.

“So if you dare to investigate this, by all means go ahead,” he continued. “I encourage that this be investigated. The other thing I want to say is that I have now become impatient. Even if they stack US$800 million worth of documents on one end of the scale, there is no way they would be able to prove [any wrongdoing].

“The documents are with the government. We did not take documents home with us when we left office,” he said.

Yameen, brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and long-serving Trade Minister in his cabinet, claimed that the administration possessed a list of senior officials of the previous government who had purchased assets overseas.

“The government will have that list now,” he said. “Why is it that they won’t make it public? I know that this work was done under the World Bank’s stolen assets recovery programme [StAR]. This list will have people who are now helping this government, not anyone else. Why don’t you release the list?”

The MP for Mulaku claimed that the government has paid “over a million dollars” to forensic accounting firm Grant Thornton, without uncovering any evidence to implicate Yameen.

“In such investigations, forensic accountants are given two or  three weeks to complete their work,” he said. “[But] this has now been dragged out for over a year.”

Yameen said that he was “ready to sue” for defamation if a final report “under seal and signature of Grant Thornton” was made public.

“But there’s no way to file this suit because no official document has been released,” he continued. “All that’s been released are draft reports without any signature or seal that can be taken to court.”

Yameen added that “the US$800 million worth of trade was done with back-to-back LCs (lines of credit) in Singapore based on trust between one bank and another.”

“All the bank documentation is there,” he said, claiming that Grant Thornton had cleared out all the “invoices and documents” from STO Singapore so that “there’s not even one photocopy left.”

“How can eight or nine years worth of documents of a government company be taken like this?” he asked. “I know this for a fact.”

The right of individuals to be considered innocent until proven guilty was “a sacred provision” in the Maldivian constitution, he said.

During the heated debate that followed, Former Finance Minister Gasim Ibrahim urged the government to allow the allegations to be investigated either by police or the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as “they are the institutions that are legally empowered to conduct investigations.”

“I don’t believe this case should be debated in parliament,” said Gasim, arguing that the constitution protected the rights of the accused.

MP Eva Abdulla of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) meanwhile observed that the audit report of the State Trading Organisation (STO) had noted that about Rf11 million (US$80,000) in local currency was released to Emerald Resort Pvt Ltd as loan facilities between April 1, 2003 to April 3, 2005 to be paid back in US dollars.

“The same report noted that STO imported medical equipment without a bidding process at a much higher price than [the equipment] was available for,” she continued.

Eva also referred to the audit reports of the Maldives Customs Service, which revealed that luxury yachting company Sultans of the Seas in 2007 had forged documents to evade import duties for a yacht.

“After that the audit report of the presidential palace Theemuge noted that Rf104 million was given out as assistance,” she said. “From that, 50,000 Singapore dollars were spent for medical assistance to the [former President’s] family members. And US$20,000 for a member of the People’s Majlis. And so on until Rf100 million was reached. It’s not just the US$800 million dollar case we want to investigate. We want this to be looked into.”

The MDP MP for Galolhu North revealed that the Presidential Commission was currently investigating over 25 similar cases of corruption and misappropriation of state funds by the former government.

“Honourable Speaker, whether it is me [facing corruption allegations], the Deputy Speaker, the leader of a fragmented and unraveling party, the brother of a deposed ruler, we want to make certain that these investigations will go ahead and that we can have justice,” she said. “We want to stop looking back as a nation and breathe freely. We can only do that when we face these cases of corruption and find out the truth.”

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Four taxation bills sent to committee

Four bills of the government’s economic reform package were sent to a parliamentary sub-committee for further review yesterday.

The four pieces of legislation would together introduce a five percent general goods and service tax (GST), an income tax, a corporate profit tax and excise import duties for most items from January 1, 2012.

All four bills received on average higher than 50 votes from the 72 MPs present and voting. To expedite the legislative process, an 11-member sub-committee was chosen to review the bills with five MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), three MPs of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim, one MP of the minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) and Dhuvafaru MP Mohamed Zubair as an Independent MP.

Presenting the income tax bill on behalf of the government yesterday, MP Ilyas Labeeb said that the economic reform programme was now being implemented with the introduction of direct taxation in the Maldives for the first time.

“The bill I’m presenting today is the personal income tax,” he began. “Income tax will be taken from individuals whose total monthly income from their salary or other sources exceed Rf30,000 (US$1,900). The tax will be taken from income above that amount.”

All citizens and non-citizens who earn their income in the Maldives will be eligible for the tax. For naturalised citizens and residents, income earned abroad will be taxable as well.

Ilyas explained that the income tax would be progressive and divided into five tax brackets, whereby people with higher income would pay higher rates.

The tax rates are set at three percent for monthly incomes between Rf30,000 to Rf40,000; six percent for incomes between Rf60,000 and Rf100,000; nine percent for incomes between Rf100,000 and Rf150,000; and 15 percent for Rf150,000 and higher.

The legislation specifies 15 sources of income that would be considered taxable, Ilyas continued, while Zakat funds (alms for the poor), pension contributions, interest payments and capital allowance or investment would be exempt from taxation.

Individuals would meanwhile be required to submit an annual personal income tax statement.

If passed, the income tax law will come into effect on January 1, 2012.

Ilyas observed that the introduction of a 3.5 percent tourism goods and services tax (TGST) in January this year had revealed that the country’s GDP per capita was closer to US$4,060 than the previous estimate of US$2,840.

“We learned that the Maldivian economy is such that each citizen should get close to Rf5,000 (US$300) a month,” Ilyas said. “[But] the country’s wealth is shared by disproportionately few people. One in four people do not make even Rf1,000 (US$60) a month.”

Ilyas urged opposition MPs to set aside political differences “to save future generations from indebtedness.”

As a result of deficit financing by both the current and former governments through foreign loans, printing local currency and sale of T-bills, the state is in debt to the tune of Rf18 billion (US$1.4 million).

Meanwhile at a press briefing outside parliament today, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali said that the party gave its MPs a free whip to vote on the taxation bills.

“We cannot make a final decision without listening to what the government has to say about reducing total state expenditure and without looking into the details of the bills, such as how the money taken from the people would be spent,” he said.

The main opposition party however decided yesterday not to impose a three-line whip on proceeding with the tax bills at the committee stage, Thasmeen said.

“Our final decision will be made after the bill is accepted based on how it is shaped in the final stages,” he explained. “We will question the government during [the committee review] process and they will not get our cooperation unless they are ready to shape the bill the way we want.”

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Bill on discontinuing state benefits to ex-Presidents rejected

An amendment proposed to the Protection and Privileges for former Presidents Act by MP Mohamed Musthafa of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was rejected 37-32 at today’s sitting of parliament.

In his closing statement after the debate on the parliament floor, Musthafa said that he did not have “anything more to say about this bill.”

“What I want is for those who have ruled this country to receive benefits and for them to stay silent at home under protection,” he said. “[I want] to give them benefits and for them not to come out to the street and act like children.”

In March this year, a leaked phone call between Musthafa and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim emerged in the local media, suggesting a secret relationship between the MDP MP and embattled Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.

Musthafa explains in the leaked audio that while he did not believe that former President Gayoom deserved financial benefits after returning to active politics, he had considered withdrawing the bill but was dissuaded from doing so by Thasmeen.

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NGO calls for inquiry into MPs’ “disgraceful behaviour”

Local NGO Maldives Centre for Human Rights and Democracy led by former Attorney General Husnu Suood has called on Speaker Abdulla Shahid to launch an inquiry into the “lowly and disgraceful behaviour” of MPs during last week’s disrupted parliament sittings.

In a letter sent to the Speaker yesterday, the NGO said that MPs “should apologise to the Maldivian people at a sitting of the People’s Majlis.”

In a number of videos uploaded to YouTube by MP Shifaq Mufeed of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), several MPs were heard using obscene language against each other.

Moreover, newspaper Haveeru journalists caught video footage of MP Ahmed Mahlouf strike former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader Ali Waheed on the back.

The NGO stated in its letter that last week’s incidents had not only harmed the standing of parliament among the public, but had “raised serious doubts” about the legitimacy of Acts of parliament and undermined public trust in the institution.

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Comment: Majlis fiddles with democracy as society burns

The country is broke and the price of living is going up every day while the standard of living is going down.

The price of a can of tuna is now 20 percent higher than it was a few months ago. A valhoa mas kiba, part of our staple food since time immemorial, is now beyond the common person’s reach. A bottle of water was Rf10 just a month ago; it is Rf14 this month.

Electricity bills, water bills, gas bills, are all hugely more expensive than any other country in the neighbourhood. A majority of people are living hand to mouth.

A vast chunk of the country’s youth population are either addicted to drugs or recovering from it. They are unemployable, and out on the streets, committing crimes big and small or looking in vain for another chance at life.

The standards of teaching in public schools are abysmal, and private schools remain an unaffordable dream for the majority. To say that public schools are free is to lie through one’s teeth; for people are paying through their noses for private tuition – a parallel education system that exists in a parallel universe. It is the elephant in every classroom that nobody in authority wants to talk about – the government cannot regulate it without first acknowledging the massive failings in the education system; and a majority of the teachers do not want to talk about it because it is the cash cow that supplements their meagre incomes.

Children from other islands are having to migrate to Male’, boarding with host families or packed into small rooms the rent of which they share; paid by parents who break their backs working on farms or on fishing boats, just so their children can get an education. The housing crisis and social problems related to overcrowding increase.

The health system is too weak to cope with any unexpected outbreaks of disease; Maldivian doctors are still the minority and are offered less pay and benefits than their expatriate counterparts; and infant and adult mortality rates are needlessly high. It was all too clear to see with the recent dengue fever outbreak.

Unemployment rates are sky-high while trafficked Bangladeshis are bought and sold by the planeload. They live in their scores of thousands working and living on building sites; existing in an alternate realm of worker drones, buzzing away in the background, building, serving, cooking, cleaning, maintaining; jobs that Maldivians consider themselves too good to be doing.

Their presence is acknowledged only when the buzzing gets annoying; when their levels of ‘civilisation’ are deemed not to match our allegedly impeccable manners and faultless social graces; and when foreign governments chastise the Maldives for its cruelty for putting a price on the heads of human beings and selling them to the highest bidder.

Longstanding traditions of peace, friendliness and cleanliness have disappeared; replaced with avarice and aspirations of grandeur achieved by any means possible. Basic civility, let alone friendliness, is conspicuous in its absence: the smile; the queue; the exchange of niceties; respect for the elderly; the weak and the vulnerable; the knowledge of belonging together – what are they? People push, shove and climb over each other to get to an undefined ‘there’ faster than anyone else – literally and metaphorically.

It is all there to see in the pantomime that the Majlis is enacting, fiddling with democracy as society burns. What is the purpose of these theatrics? Are we supposed to be impressed with his behaviour? Are we supposed to admire this display of ignorance as ‘people power’? Is this to be seen as standing up (or sitting down) for the rule of law? Are we supposed to applaud these MPs for their ‘valour’ in forcing a needless confrontation between legislative and military power?

Are we supposed to cheer in adulation or tremble in fear when one MP who was only recently bought by one party now shouts at the party he had just left?

Are we to ignore the fact that if such members did indeed have an ideology, or a set of deeply held political beliefs or values they would not be so easily bought and sold?

Are we supposed to laugh with them and chuckle at the smirks on their faces when they are being led away by the army? Are we supposed to let our children hear the filth that is sprouting from their mouths into our airwaves on daytime TV? Are we to appreciate as media savvy the manner in which, like a bunch of schoolboy bullies in a playground, they are taking photographs and videos of each other being bundled away by men in army fatigues?

Are we supposed to be appreciate as role models of feminism the female voices heard screeching like cockatoos at the spectacle of MPs being carried away like chimpanzees by zoo handlers? What exactly is being celebrated here? What state will our nation be in the coming years if these are our highest representatives, if this is the pinnacle of success that our children as future leaders can aspire to?

Whatever destruction that three decades of dictatorship could not unleash on our society with its ruinous policies, society is wreaking upon itself. We did not have a transition to democracy, we just changed one supreme power to which we subjugate ourselves for another: Mammon for Maumoon.

The Majlis should be where the people turn to for solutions to their problems. It is, however, both the representation of all our problems as well as their nucleus and their source.

What a sham.

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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MDP MPs bolt chamber doors, demand sittings go ahead

Supporters and activists of both main parties surrounded the parliament building in protest today after a third consecutive sitting was disrupted by MPs of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) breakaway Z-faction.

In a protest of their own, MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) bolted the chamber doors and refused to let opposition MPs leave.

Maafanu North MP Imthiyaz Fahmy told Minivan News that MDP MPs shut the chamber door at about 1pm when the sitting resumed after being adjourned in the morning.

“We said Majlis has to go ahead because it has been stopped everyday while there are important economic bills to pass,” he said. “Every day they bring the sitting to a halt and everybody just goes home. Today we said nobody can leave.”

He revealed that the MDP MPs opened the doors at 2.30pm when sittings usually come to an end.

Imthiyaz strongly criticised the Z-DRP MPs for disrupting three consecutive sittings “on orders from [former President] Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.”

“Every day it is just three or four people stopping Majlis,” he said. “These Z-faction MPs don’t even have any legal status. Because if they belonged to a party, they would recognise the party’s leader and accept his decisions.”

Shortly after today’s sitting began at 9.00am, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim adjourned it when Z-DRP MPs, Ahmed Mahlouf and Ahmed Ilham, refused to comply with an order to leave the chamber.

Both MPs were protesting in front of the secretariat desk when the Deputy Speaker ordered them out after repeatedly advising the MPs to return to their seat – the Z-DRP MPs have now disrupted three consecutive sittings after vowing to do so in protest of the recently approved committee composition.

Under article 54(f) of the parliamentary rules, sittings cannot continue if an MP ordered out remains in the chamber.

Minivan News will continue to cover the situation here as it develops.

2:38pm: MDP supporters have gathered near parliament and are attempting to climb inside. Police are in the area attempting to control the situation.

2:40pm: MDP activists told Minivan News they would “knock down” any opposition MP attempting to leave the parliament.

2:57pm: Activists outside are claiming: “You [MPs] have taken thousands from the state budget to pay your salaries, but have done nothing for the citizens.”

3:15pm: Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed said he left the building shortly before the incident began. MPs inside the building have so far not responded to calls.

3:16pm: Opposition MPs have left the building however MDP MPs remain in the chamber. Former Parliamentary Group Leader Reeko Moosa Manik told media that they would not leave until the sitting was resumed.

3:18pm: Opposition and ruling party supporters have gathered at the same gate and are trying to break the police line and enter parliament. Minivan News observed that the crowd includes supporters of both parties, one shouting about Gayoom (“Golhaabo”), the other about President Mohamed Nasheed (“Ganjabo”).

3.50pm: Scuffles have broken out between MDP and Z-DRP activists. Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News that police are attempting to “bring the situation under control.” Police have formed lines to separate the two groups of supporters.

4.10pm: According to the MDP website, chamber doors were opened shortly before 3pm and some opposition MPs have left the building.

5.42pm: Police have used pepper spray on the protestors while opposition MPs are reportedly being escorted out of the building under guard. Police are warning that the crowd will be dispersed by force.

6.23pm: Crowd has begun to disperse and thin out.

6.55pm: The MDP’s National Council has passed a resolution calling its members in the atolls to come to Male’ to participate in “a large demonstration” in protest of “the Majlis being hijacked by a few members encouraged by former President Maumoon [Abdul Gayoom].”

The resolution proposed by Madaveli MP Mohamed Nazim and seconded by Hoarafushi MP Ahmed Rasheed was passed with 58 votes in favour and two against.

6.57pm: A number of MDP activists are continuing the protest outside all three gates of parliament. The activists have issued a warning to police that they will storm the building between 8.00pm and 8.30pm. They continue to call for opposition MPs to come out.

8.45pm: MDP MP Ahmed Sameer has told protestors still outside parliament that the party is trying to hold a sitting tonight. Among the five MPs designated to preside over sittings in the absence of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker include MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

10.40pm: Tomorrow’s agenda has been published on the Majlis website. Addressing protestors earlier tonight, MDP Chairperson “Reeko” Moosa Manik said that the rules of procedure allowed sittings to be held in the absence of either the Speaker or Deputy Speaker: “We don’t mind if it starts tomorrow morning or at 12 midnight, we are here to do this […] It is not the spirit of the constitution for two members to stop Majlis and bring it to a halt for weeks on end. We showed them today. We were able to bolt the doors and sit in front of the doors. We can do it again. They had to stay inside until we opened the door.”

Moosa alleged that the forced cancellations were “planned in advance at the Deputy Speaker’s office.” The former MDP parliamentary group leader said that the party was ready to pass all the taxation bills in one sitting if necessary.

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President vetoes bill doubling number of city councillors

President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday vetoed the third amendment passed by parliament to the Decentralisation Act last month, a bill that would have doubled the number of city councillors in the capital Male’ as well as Addu City.

The legislation proposed by opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Hassan Latheef would have created 11 additional seats on the Male’ City Council and six on the Addu City Council, both of which were won by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

According to a letter from President Mohamed Nasheed informing the Speaker of the reasons for returning the bill for reconsideration, the Attorney General noted that some provisions in the legislation were in conflict with the powers and responsibilities of local councils.

The Attorney General’s legal advice also noted that the creation of additional seats in the city councils would significantly increase government expenditure.

A day after the bill was passed 36-33 on June 22 in a partisan vote, Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News that the legislation amounted to “economic sabotage” of the government’s attempts to reduce state expenditure and plug a crippling budget deficit.

“From the outset [of the decentralisation process], the government has been of the position that the total number of councillors should be kept down as much as possible,” he said. “We at the beginning suggested that the total number of councillors should be no more than 220, yet opposition parties like the DRP wanted more.”

In March, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim of the minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) told Minivan News that expenditure on more than 1000 councillors was unsustainable.

The PA MP for Dhiggaru said he believed that the main opposition DRP had been too “heavy handed” in their approach to working with government on devolving decision-making powers to local councils.

“I was advocating that even now, we will work with the MDP to reduce the number of [island] councilors in small areas from five to three posts.  There is simply not enough work for all of them to do,” he said.  “Some opposition took a heavy handed approach meaning there was no need for compromise.  The DRP wanted it their way when it came to each of the wards.”

Nazim claimed that he still hoped to work with the MDP on plans to reduce the number of posts on councils. He said this was particularly the case on smaller islands, boasting populations of less than 1000 people, which could be cut to just three council representatives instead of five.

Nazim was however among the opposition MPs who voted to double the number of city councillors.

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MNDF denies offering legal advice to Speaker of Parliament

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has denied media reports suggesting that Chief of Defence Forces Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel offered unsolicited legal advice either to the Speaker of Parliament or other MPs.

A press statement issued yesterday explains that Major General Jaleel met with some MPs on Sunday upon request by Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

“The MNDF did not offer legal advice at the meeting either to the People’s Majlis or the Speaker,” it reads. “However the Major General received legal advice before he went to the meeting. The law obliges MNDF to protect the People’s Majlis and other state institutions.”

It adds that MNDF “would not do anything to obstruct the proceedings of parliament.’’

MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News that the document containing legal advice leaked to the media had been produced by the army’s legal department several days ago.

He stressed that legal advice was not given either to MPs or Speaker Shahid during Sunday’s meetings.

In the past few days, several media outlets have reported that the leaked document, signed by the head of MNDF legal department Major Zubair Ahmed Manik, was offered as legal advice to Speaker Abdulla Shahid by the MNDF.

The document states that the army has legal authority to remove any MP that refuses to leave the chamber after being ordered to do so by the Speaker.

Yesterday’s sitting of parliament was cancelled after MP Ali Arif of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Z-faction refused to comply with an order to leave the chamber.

Speaking to press on the day before, Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf claimed that the involvement of the MNDF signified “a deal made between President [Mohamed] Nasheed, Speaker Abdulla Shahid and DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to destroy us.”

Z-DRP MP Ahmed Nihan meanwhile told Minivan News yesterday that MPs “felt intimidated” following the MNDF’s legal advice.

“The Speaker has the authority to take other actions against MPs who do not follow the regulations, such as cutting an amount from their salary,” he said. “Now this country is becoming like Myanmar [Burma] has been in the past years – the Maldives is bit by bit turning to a military rule.”

At the beginning of yesterday’s sitting, Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed raised a point of order demanding to know which law authorised MNDF officers to enter the chamber and “drag MPs away.”

Deputy Speaker Nazim replied that he was aware of the meeting between the Speaker and the Chief of Defence Forces.

“MNDF [officers] will not enter the Majlis chamber without the permission of the Speaker,” he said. “The Speaker does not intend to give permission and I will not do it either.”

Meanwhile local daily Haveeru reports today that the Labour Party of MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem has asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate Major Jaleel and take measures against the army chief.

The Labour Party claims that Jaleel “gave warnings to MPs” and spoke to them “in threatening tones.”

The party’s letter to the ACC states that Jaleel’s behavior was “a clear proof of a plan to bring an iron-fisted military rule to the Maldives.”

The Labour Party requested the ACC to investigate the “motive and purpose” behind Jaleel’s alleged threats of the possible use of force against MPs.

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Military ordered to ensure order in chamber as disruptive MPs force Majlis cancellation

Parliament entered its third week of deadlock with the imposed cancellation of today’s sitting by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim after opposition MP Ali Arif refused to comply with an order to leave the chamber.

Arif and his fellow MPs of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) breakaway Z-faction had vowed to disrupt future sittings in protest of the “unlawful sitting” last week where a compromise to revise the composition of committees was approved by a 36-1 vote.

Shortly after today’s sitting began at 9.00am, the DRP MP for Vaikaradhoo was protesting in front of the secretariat desk when Nazim – presiding in the absence of Speaker Abdulla Shahid – ordered the MP out after repeatedly advising Arif to return to his seat.

“Article 54 of the rules of procedure states that an MP [ordered to leave the chamber] cannot participate in the remainder of the sitting,” said Nazim, announcing the cancellation after resuming the sitting around 11.15am. “Therefore, I cannot continue today’s sitting with the MP participating.”

At last week’s sitting on Tuesday (July 5), which took place at 8.30pm following repeated cancellations, Z-DRP MPs contended that the committee issue was tabled in the agenda in violation of parliamentary rules. In addition, the MPs claimed that the sitting was not legitimate as they were were informed on very short notice via text messages.

However Speaker Abdulla Shahid pushed ahead with the vote while MPs of the Z-faction along with minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MPs were out of their seats protesting in front of the secretariat desk.

After the result was announced, MPs of the rival opposition faction chased Speaker Shahid, loudly berating him as he left the chamber.

The announcement was met with cheers and applause from MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

While journalists at the public viewing gallery were hurriedly ushered out, Minivan News understands that security personnel and some MDP MPs stepped in between the Speaker and his former colleagues.

Calling in the MNDF

Meanwhile in the wake of the Z-DRP MPs’ threats to disrupt future sittings, Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel met with opposition MPs yesterday. The army chief reportedly informed them that the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) would escort MPs out of the chamber should they refuse to comply with orders from the Speaker.

Following the meeting, Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf told press that Jaleel discussed with them the legal obligation of the MNDF to uphold the Speaker’s authority and to ensure the safety of all MPs.

Article 105 of the constitution tasks the army with maintaining “the security of the House of the People’s Majlis, all property attached thereto and all offices and facilities where its work is conducted” as well as “ensuring the protection and safety of all members of the People’s Majlis.”

Moreover, the Defence Forces Act empowers the army to enforce the Speaker’s rulings to maintain order in the chamber.

Mahlouf claimed that the involvement of the MNDF signified “a deal made between President [Mohamed] Nasheed, Speaker Abdulla Shahid and DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to destroy us.”

Speaking in his weekly radio address on Friday, President Nasheed made an appeal to the Z-DRP MPs to let parliament resume its legislative responsibilities as “such attempts [to disrupt sittings] are in truth attempts to bring the state to a halt.”

“For three or four people to come out and try to bring the state to a halt is surely not wise,” he said. “If the Speaker wished to do something special in a particular way, I do not doubt that he has the means to do it. The state has means that can be used to speed things up.”

“Military rule”

Speaking to Minivan News today, Z-DRP MP Ahmed Nihan explained that the MPs were mainly objecting to last week’s “unlawful sitting.”

“If the Speaker accepts that the sitting was unlawful and considers having another sitting to appoint MPs to the parliament committees, the major issue will be solved,” he said.

He added that it was “a big joke” that the MNDF’s legal department was offering legal advice to parliament: “They have said it is their duty to protect the parliament and to maintain the rule of law.”

Nihan suggested that MPs “felt intimidated” following the MNDF’s legal advice to the Speaker.

“The Speaker has the authority to take other actions against MPs who do not follow the regulations, such as cutting an amount from their salary,” he said. “Now this country is becoming like Myanmar [Burma] has been in the past years – the Maldives is bit by bit turning to a military rule.”

Nihan added that he would also like to clarify “whether it was the President or Speaker Abdulla Shahid that asked MNDF to [intervene in parliament].”

MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem confirmed that the Chief of Defence Force Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel met yesterday with both the Speaker “and some MPs.”

“They discussed the issues occurring inside parliament and said it was the legal duty of the MNDF to protect the parliament and other state institutions,” he said. “We will maintain the rules and laws in whatever action we take and we will not hesitate to take any action required to take to fulfill our legal duty.”

At the beginning of today’s sitting, DQP MP Riyaz Rasheed raised a point of order demanding to know which law authorised MNDF officers to enter the chamber and “drag MPs away.”

Addressing the concerns, Deputy Speaker Nazim replied that he was aware of the meeting between the Speaker and the Chief of Defence Forces.

“MNDF [officers] will not enter the Majlis chamber without the permission of the Speaker,” he said. “The Speaker does not intend to give permission and I will not do it either.”

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