Tag: parliamentary elections

Nasheed warns Supreme Court against interference in Majlis elections

Former President Mohamed Nasheed warned Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain last night against Supreme Court interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

Speaking at a campaign launching ceremony for two Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidates, Nasheed said last year’s presidential election was “taken away from us by the Supreme Court.”

“The island council, atoll council, and city council elections have slipped from their fingers by God’s will while they were unaware. Now we are coming to the People’s Majlis elections again. If the People’s Majlis election is stopped, you could not place a bigger obstacle to the country’s development,” he said.

Supreme Court Justices “should know very well that the people of the Maldives will not forgive,” Nasheed said.

“And do not think that the courage of the Maldivian people has flagged. No, when they have to take to the streets, they will,” he said.

“If you decide to halt our elections, remember that we live on this land too. Keep in my mind, our Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz, know that we too grew up in this island. As long as we are on this soil, you cannot keep perpetrating injustices against our people.”

The Maldivian people were not indifferent or willing to “remain in a state of shock or fear,” Nasheed continued, adding that the people have “found courage from one another and moved past their fear”.

“We cannot remain still, we cannot give up the hope of our children and children’s children, we cannot give up the Maldives,” he said.

Suo motu

The Supreme Court summoned members of the Elections Commission (EC) on February 12 and began a surprise trial on charges of contempt of court. The apex court invoked new ‘Sumoto’ or ‘Suo motu’ regulations that allow the court to initiate hearings and act as both prosecutor and judge in a trial.

The court contends that criticism by EC members of its decision to annul the first round of last year’s presidential election – citing a secret police report that has since been dismissed by a UN expert review and questioned by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives – constituted contempt of court.

Nasheed meanwhile declared last week that the MDP will boycott the parliamentary elections if the Supreme Court removes EC members ahead of next month’s polls.

Speaking at a campaign event on the night before EC members were summoned, Nasheed accused parties in the ruling coalition of colluding with the Supreme Court to delay the Majlis elections as they were “certain of defeat.”

“In my view, an election conducted with the Supreme Court exerting influence over the Elections Commission to deliberately commit electoral fraud or rig the vote will not be a legitimate election – in my view, MDP should not participate in such an election,” Nasheed said.

Neither the international community nor the Maldivian public would accept general elections boycotted by the MDP, he insisted.

In his speech at a campaign launching ceremony on Monday night for MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, Nasheed said judicial reform was the most pressing issue facing the Maldives at present.

Neither the chief justice nor other judges should think that the public would cease calls for reform or stop criticising the judiciary “out of fear,” he said, declaring that the party would “not back down in the slightest”.

Referring to the alleged sex tape of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, Nasheed said the party’s concern was not with Hameed’s indiscretions but with the presence of “compromised” judges on the bench who were susceptible to “blackmail”.

While the new constitution was adopted to move away from the autocratic and unjust practices of the past, the Supreme Court has taken on powers to investigate, prosecute, conduct trial, and deliver verdicts on their own accord, Nasheed said.

“The fundamental basis of the reform that the Maldivian people wanted was ensuring that the prosecutor and the court that hears the case are separate. Persons must have the assistance of a lawyer to defend themselves from accusation of a crime,” he said.

“It is the prosecutor general who should prosecute on behalf of the state. We wanted to see separated powers of state [but] today we are seeing the Supreme Court negate the character of the constitution we wished for.”

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MDP will not obstruct government through parliament, says Nasheed

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will not obstruct or hinder the government should the party win a parliamentary majority in the upcoming general elections, former President Mohamed Nasheed said last night.

Speaking at the campaign launching ceremony for the MDP’s candidate for Manchangoalhi North, MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, Nasheed said obstruction of development projects or government programmes was not the opposition party’s intention.

“Our philosophy is not obstruction. We do not wish to stop undertakings of President [Abdulla] Yameen’s government. We wish for it go ahead on the right path,” he said.

The role of an opposition party in a country with a presidential system was ensuring that campaign pledges are fulfilled, Nasheed added.

Nasheed noted that President Yameen made a number of pledges during last year’s presidential campaign, including raising old age pensions to MVR5,000 a month, providing MVR10,000 to fishermen during lean months, assuring “unlimited” health insurance, and assigning a general practitioner to each family.

“MDP’s legal responsibility today is to encourage holding the government answerable for fulfilling its pledges, if the pledge is not contrary to our philosophy and principles,” he said.

Nasheed suggested that a supplementary budget should be submitted to parliament with funds allocated for fulfilling the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) campaign promises, which was not the case with the 2014 state budget approved by parliament.

As an additional MVR34 million (US$2.2 million) would be needed to raise the elderly benefits, Nasheed said the required amount could be saved from the budget by halving the salary and allowances of ministers, deputy ministers and state ministers.

He added that the MDP would seek amending the relevant laws to reduce wages of political appointees.

“We need a majority of the People’s Majlis to bring about this change through the law,” he said.

Meanwhile, campaigning in Noonu Velidhoo last night, President Yameen urged voters to choose candidates representing the governing ‘Progressive Coalition’ in order to ensure that the executive receives the necessary cooperation from the legislature.

Yameen argued that parliament was “in need of change” and needed to earn the public’s respect.

He added that it was the parliament that would “put the final stamp” on the government’s efforts to fulfil its campaign pledges.

“If the general rule that they follow is to try to stop everything that is beneficial for the people, that’s not responsible,” the president was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

Yameen also reportedly indicated that the government could submit a supplementary budget this year. The president has previously accused parliament of delaying approval of loans through the public finance committee.

“I need some cash”

In his speech, Nasheed meanwhile referred to a leaked phone conversation in July 2010 between business magnate MP Gasim Ibrahim and then-Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, who recently joined the PPM, in which the latter asks the business magnate for “some cash”.

In a second leaked conversation, Nasheed read out a draft outlining the then-opposition’s plans to block taxation legislation and amend the Public Finance Act to require parliamentary approval for signing agreements such as the airport privatisation deal with GMR.

The amendments were cited as the main reason for the en masse cabinet resignation in June 2010 with Nasheed announcing at the time that the new laws would make it “impossible for the government to function.”

While then-President Nasheed ratified the amendments after parliament overrode his veto, the government filed a case at the Supreme Court in December 2010 contesting the constitutionality of some provisions.

Nasheed contended last night that opposition politicians obstructed the MDP government because they feared the party would win reelection if it was allowed to implement its policies.

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High Court refuses to accept case requesting invalidation of MDP Feydhoo ticket winner’s candidacy

The High Court has refused to accept a case filed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy requesting invalidation of the MDP’s Feydhoo primary winner Mohamed Nihad’s candidacy.

Alhan’s sister, Noorban Fahmy – also the Feydhoo MPs’ lawyer – told local media that the High Court’s registrar informed her that it could not hear cases related to internal elections conducted by political parties.

The case will be filed at the Civil Court tomorrow, she said.

“I asked for the primary to be annulled because the list used on polling day and the [eligible] voter list is different, and the focal point at the ballot box in Feydhoo has said the polls are not fair. And none of the candidates have signed the results,” Alhan had previously told newspaper Haveeru.

The incumbent MP contends that the election in the Feydhoo constituency was fraudulent and that any candidate who won the MDP ticket through fraud cannot be a valid one.

Nihad competed against eight candidates, winning 316 votes. Alhan came in second with 154 votes.

Alhan called for a fresh vote in the constituency, claiming the voter list used at polling stations was outdated and did not afford 67 party members the right to vote.

The party’s election committee has confirmed that 67 members were indeed missing from the list at the ballot box, but decided against holding a re-vote, arguing the primary outcome would not change even if the 67 members were allowed to vote.

Alhan was stabbed in public on February 1 and is currently receiving treatment at Colombo’s Central Hospital. He has announced he will contest March’s People’s Majlis election as an independent.

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Government to reclaim property awarded to ferry service providers

The government is seeking to reclaim properties provided to companies awarded contracts by the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed in order to establish regional transport networks, President Abdulla Yameen said last night.

Speaking at campaign launching ceremonies for two Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) parliamentary candidates, President Yameen contended that the transport networks had “failed” across the country.

“The network is at a halt in all areas. It is functioning in just two areas. In one of those areas it is a private sector party providing the service. The system has been very much weakened,” he said.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government awarded 200 plots of lands under its transport network agreements to the companies contracted to provide ferry services, Yameen noted, claiming that the bidding process was riddled with corruption.

“For islands given to develop resort, on average we are talking about an annual income of US$30 million. If we consider the total income of a resort we are talking about US$30 million dollars. Out of these 200 plots, a lot were given for resort development. All of them have now been sold,” he said.

While the public-private partnership project “in itself was good,” Yameen contended that it was the most wasteful and corrupt programme carried out by the MDP government.

The programme was intended to unduly benefit certain parties by awarding public property and funds, Yameen added, describing it as the worst such “in Maldivian history”.

“So the work we have to do is taking back such properties that can be beneficial to the public [and undo] the action of a group who claimed that there was corruption in the past and that they would stop it,” he said.

Of the two functioning transport networks at present, Yameen noted that ferry service was currently provided by the government-owned Koodoo Fisheries Company in Gaaf Alif and Gaaf Dhaalu atolls.

In October 2012, the MDP-controlled Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Council accused the previous company of ceasing ferry services and asked the transport ministry to cancel the agreement.

Yameen meanwhile vowed that there would not be a corruption case under his administration that would reach the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

“During our five years, God willing you won’t hear of anything that could reach the ACC,” he said, adding that the commission was investigating allegations of corruption “from all sectors” during the MDP’s three years in government.

The government was also seeking to reclaim large plots of land in the capital awarded by the previous government to the MDP-controlled Malé City Council, Yameen said.

However, he added that reclaiming some properties might be difficult even through litigation as estate transactions were advanced in some cases.

PPM campaign

Speaking at the campaign launching event for the PPM’s candidate for the Hulhuhenveiru constituency, Hassan Ziyath, Yameen said he was pleased that “capable and educated youth” were contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections on behalf of the governing Progressive Coalition.

The cabinet was also composed of competent young technocrats, he added, who were working “day and night” with a team committed to implementing the PPM manifesto.

In the campaign launching event for the PPM’s mid-Henveiru constituency candidate, former journalist and television presenter Aishath Leeza, Yameen criticised parliament for failing to approve his nominee for the vacant Prosecutor General post as well as his nominee for the Elections Commission (EC).

The resignation of former EC member Ibrahim ‘Ogaru’ Waheed in October 2013 left a vacancy in the five-member independent commission.

Yameen also criticised parliament for failing to pass legislation such as the penal code, the evidence bill, and the criminal procedures code, which were essential for strengthening the criminal justice system.

The president vowed to establish “a safe and peaceful environment” for citizens in all inhabited islands of the country.

While the government was taking measures to “deter crime,” Yameen said the issue was related to “education of youth.”

He noted that the current administration has introduced Arabic and Quran classes in most schools in the country.

Plans were in the pipeline to introduce civic education and social science subjects in secondary education later this year, he revealed.

“The purpose of including these [subjects] is to provide information to children on how to confront or reconcile upsetting matters that you face within a family or society,” Yameen said, stressing the importance of policies propagated by the state to “maintain Islamic principles.”

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MDP will not respect separation of powers, says President Yameen

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) did not respect separation of powers during its three years in government, President Abdulla Yameen has said, urging voters to consider the track record of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration before choosing parliamentary candidates.

Speaking at the Progressive Coalition’s parliamentary campaign launching rally on Thursday night, President Yameen strongly criticised the opposition party’s campaign slogan – “Vote for the scale [of justice] for separation of powers” – contending that an MDP-controlled parliament would exert undue influence on other state institutions.

“Our rival opposition party is saying that they are coming to the People’s Majlis to separate powers. No doubt separation of powers is important in modern democratic systems. Separation of powers is a basis we all believe. But let us consider how responsibly and the extent to which powers were separated during the three years of the MDP government,” he said.

“We have to learn from past experience and they have shown very well, in much detail, during their three years how they want to separate powers in the future.”

The state of affairs that prevailed in the country at the end of the MDP’s three years in government should not have been what it was if the party had ruled democratically, Yameen argued.

Yameen said he “could not believe” that national debt could rise from MVR5 billion (US$324 million) to over MVR30 billion (US$1,195 million) during a democratic government.

MDP in office

President Yameen claimed that the MDP government attempted to merge the three powers of state during its time in office.

Yameen referred to the military’s controversial detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012, which he contended was prompted by “verdicts or punishments not being delivered the way the president wanted.”

Moreover, the arrest of two opposition MPs in June 2010 “showed the extent to which political space was offered” to members of the People’s Majlis, Yameen said.

Following the en masse resignation of Nasheed’s cabinet on June 29, police arrested then-MP Yameen and MP Gasim Ibrahim over allegations of bribery and treason. Both MPs were subsequently released by Judge Abdulla.

Yameen also referred to the delayed appointment of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) President Hassan Luthfy, who was eventually sworn in 24 months after parliament approved him for the post.

After President Nasheed recalled Luthfy’s name and proposed a substitute nominee in late 2009, parliament rejected the substitute and approved Luthfy to the commission.

The President’s Office delayed swearing-in the new commissioner as it sought a Supreme Court ruling. Yameen alleged that the appointment was held up to prevent the ACC from functioning.

MDP MPs have not shown “even a small example of separating powers,” Yameen continued, accusing opposition MPs of obstructing the government and blocking development projects.

“Dark clouds” on horizon, warns vice president

Yameen also accused the opposition party of refusing to cooperate with the government on confirming the appointment of a new prosecutor general.

“So I have to say that it might be that they are obstructing [the appointment] because there are cases involving [opposition MPs]. This is why I am saying they are not trying to separate powers. What we are seeing is the merging of powers,” he said.

In his speech at the rally, Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed contended that MDP MPs contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections endorsed former President Nasheed’s alleged “inhumane activities” and “insults” to Islam and the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh).

Voting or campaigning for such MPs was “without a doubt aiding and abetting sin and strife,” he said.

Repeatedly urging voters to consider the MDP’s track record before voting on March 22, Dr Jameel called on the public to vote for coalition candidates to empower citizens, defend the constitution and protect Islam.

Reiterating a central theme from last year’s presidential campaign, Dr Jameel insisted that the MDP would pursue an agenda to eradicate Islam from the Maldives.

The vice president also said he could see “dark clouds gathering” on the horizon, warning of arson in the capital Malé and judges “tied with rope and dragged through the streets.”

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – figurehead and leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives – meanwhile praised the candidates fielded by the PPM and its coalition partners Jumhooree Party and the Maldives Development Alliance.

Gayoom stressed that the Progressive Coalition must “work together” in the parliamentary campaign to secure a majority in the People’s Majlis, adding that government supporters contesting as independents would split the vote and benefit the MDP.

“Our three parties are working together as one party. We are working towards one objective. So there is no doubt that candidates contesting from our parties will have the full support of the other two parties,” said Gayoom.

“That is why I am saying that the foundation of the efforts we are commencing is working together, helping one another, and cooperating with each other.”

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MDP should boycott polls unduly influenced by Supreme Court, says Nasheed

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) should not participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections if the Supreme Court exerts undue influence over the Elections Commission (EC), former President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Speaking at a campaign event in Male’ last night, Nasheed contended that the Supreme Court’s summoning of EC members over alleged contempt of court was an attempt to “intimidate” the independent institution.

The apex court, in collusion with the ruling coalition, was planning to “play the same game they played in the presidential election,” the MDP’s former presidential candidate alleged, adding that the ‘Progressive Coalition’ was certain of facing defeat.

“In my view, an election conducted with the Supreme Court exerting influence over the Elections Commission to deliberately commit electoral fraud or rig the vote will not be a legitimate election – in my view, MDP should not participate in such an election,” Nasheed said.

Neither the international community nor the Maldivian public would accept general elections boycotted by the MDP, Nasheed said.

Nasheed referred to new regulations (Dhivehi) formulated by the Supreme Court last week to specify procedures for initiating cases on their own accord, correctly predicting that the court was planning to prosecute EC members.

“If the Supreme Court delays the election, meddles with the voters list and commits fraud after summoning the Elections Commissioner tomorrow [Wednesday] and intimidating Elections Commission members, I would say that the damage to our democracy and our country from participating in such a election would be greater [than not participating],” he said.

Nasheed claimed that the MDP lost last year’s presidential election because of “fraud and deception”.

“In my view, if we give up the Majlis election the same way, we are losing our future, the future of our children and children’s children,” he added.

A free and fair election in which the public has confidence is the foundation of democratic governance, Nasheed stressed.

“When there is no justice in voting, everything loses legitimacy,” he said.

Nasheed concluded his remarks by calling on the Supreme Court not to “muddle the entire future and hope of this nation.”

Meanwhile, appearing on MDP-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV last night, MP Ali Waheed claimed that the government was conspiring to postpone the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

The MDP parliamentary group’s deputy leader said he had learned of plans to delay the polls in certain constituencies in a bid to ensure that the ruling coalition secures a majority.

“If they carry out these efforts again this time, we will bring the whole country to a halt,” he warned.

Troubled polls

Last year’s presidential election was marred by repeated delays, cancellations and police obstruction.

On October 7, the Supreme Court annulled the results of the first round of the polls conducted on September 7 in a controversial 4-3 decision – citing a confidential police report – despite unanimous positive assessment of the polling by more than a thousand domestic and international election observers.

While the secret police report alleging irregularities – which was not shared with the EC’s defence lawyers – was dismissed by a UN expert review, the credibility of the evidence cited by the apex court was also questioned by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives.

Following the first round in which Nasheed emerged the frontrunner with 45.45 percent of the vote, third-placed candidate Gasim Ibrahim sought annulment of the results alleging widespread electoral fraud.

Pending a ruling on the business magnate’s appeal, the Supreme Court indefinitely suspended the second round scheduled for September 28 and issued a supplementary midnight ruling ordering the police and military to forcibly prevent the EC from conducting the polls.

The EC had said it intended to comply with the constitutionally-mandated deadline for the run-off, but was forced to capitulate after it was surrounded by special operations police with orders to storm the building, arrest officials and confiscate ballot papers.

The eventual revote on October 19 was also obstructed by police, after Progressive Party of Maldives candidate Abdulla Yameen and Gasim refused to sign the voter registry – a requirement from a 16-point guideline imposed on the EC by the Supreme Court judgment.

The guidelines also compelled the EC to consider the Department of National Registry’s (DNR) database as the primary source for compiling the eligible voters registry.

While the revote was eventually held on November 9 and a second round was due to take place the next day, Yameen refused to sign the voter lists hours before polls were to open and the Supreme Court ordered the EC to conduct the run-off election on November 16.

In what was the EC’s sixth attempt in two months to conduct polls, Yameen narrowly defeated Nasheed with 51.39 percent of the vote (111,203) to the MDP candidate’s 48.61 percent (105,181).

Meanwhile, on January 18, Nasheed told reporters that the MDP suspected electoral fraud using fake national identity cards in November’s polls.

Nasheed contended that non-existent people were added to the database at the DNR as part of “efforts to rig the election through the Supreme Court.”

EC President Fuwad Thowfeek told the press last month that the commission was was forced to consider the DNR list as legitimate despite errors, such as citizens deemed deceased while alive.

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MDP will empower island councils, says Nasheed

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) MPs will seek to amend the Decentralisation Act to empower local councils, former President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Speaking at campaign events in Malé last night, Nasheed said the party’s aim was to award a nearby uninhabited island to each island council as a source of income.

“We want each council to conduct business transactions using the island [to generate income] for establishing sewerage and water systems, build roads or even construct a harbour or do work needed for the school – we want to find a way for you to undertake these efforts on your own,” he said.

Under the existing system of governance, Nasheed contended that the central government could not establish “even two sanitation systems” this year due to financial constraints and the current state of the economy.

Nasheed observed that sewerage, water,and electricity has been established in over 100 resort islands.

The MDP’s policy was facilitating guest house or mid-market tourism in inhabited islands in order to make infrastructure projects economically feasible, Nasheed explained.

Nasheed made the remarks at jagaha (campaign hub) opening ceremonies in the Henveiru ward for the MDP’s candidates for the Eydhafushi constituency in Baa atoll, and the Isdhoo constituency in Laamu atoll.

Speaking at the opening of the campaign hub Eydhafushi candidate, Hisaan Hussain, Nasheed said the law had to be amended for islands to benefit from its natural riches.

“We have to change the decentralisation law to give powers to island councils. We have to give the Eydhafushi council the discretion and the resources to reclaim land. One aim of our party is to empower island councils, generate income for island councils, and find ways for island councils to develop their islands,” he said.

Island councils should be able to initiate infrastructure projects such as establishing sewerage systems, Nasheed added.

In his speeches last night, Nasheed urged voters to compare the MDP’s candidates for Eydhafushi and Isdhoo with their opponents in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Both Hisaan and Umar Razzaq were academically qualified and experienced in government administration and public service, Nasheed said.

Meanwhile, speaking at a function held last night to award the party’s ticket to candidates, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Leader Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam Mohamed reportedly said that voting for MDP candidates for parliament “could be a sin.”

Voters should not choose MDP candidates because of the party’s track record during its three years in government, the MP for Dhaalu Meedhoo said.

Praising the MDA’s candidates as “competent and educated,” Shiyam assured supporters that MDA MPs would not sell their votes or accept bribes.

“Bribing to obtain votes is haram. You must not do such a thing,” Shiyam said.

“Ruling a nation is like running a company. Developing a country is also putting the economy back on its feet. That is what we are working for,” the resort tycoon added.

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Adhaalath announces seven candidates for parliament

The Adhaalath Party (AP) announced seven candidates today for constituencies contested by the ruling ‘Progressive Coalition,’ bringing the number of the religious conservative party’s parliamentary candidates to 13 in total.

The candidates announced today were Ali Zahir for the Inguraidhoo constituency, Ibrahim Ahmed for the Madduvari constituency, incumbent MP Ibrahim Muttalib for the Fares-Maathoda constituency, Abdulla Ibrahim for the Kendhikolhudhoo constituency, Hassan Rasheed for the Kudahuvadhoo constituency, and Abdulla Haleem for the Isdhoo constituency.

The party also named the Fiqh Academy Vice President Dr Mohamed Iyaz Abdul Latheef for the Hulhuhenveiru constituency. Dr Iyaz last week sparked controversy as he endorsed the practice of female genital mutilation in an online forum.

AP Spokesperson Ali Zahir said at a press briefing today that the party decided to field candidates for the seven seats as no progress had been made in “unofficial” talks with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on the possibility of ceding five constituencies for AP candidates.

While the AP has not given up hope of reaching a compromise with the ruling party, Zahir said the party gave tickets to seven more candidates because the deadline for submitting candidacy papers was two days away.

“When they began primaries yesterday, we felt they no longer intend to go forward with us,” he said, adding however that the PPM had “signalled” an interest in further negotiations.

Zahir noted that the PPM conducted primaries yesterday for all five of the constituency requested by the AP.

While the AP “hopes this number [of candidates] will not become higher [than 13],” Zahir said it was possible that the party’s ticket could be awarded to more candidates in the coming days.

The three parties in the governing ‘Progressive Coalition’ reached an agreement last week to allocate the 85 parliamentary constituencies among the coalition partners, with 49 seats assigned for the PPM, 28 seats for the Jumhooree Party (JP), and eight seats for the Maldives Development Alliance.

Following its exclusion from the coalition’s parliamentary election plans, the AP began discussions separately with the three parties on the possibility of allocating constituencies to its candidates.

However, negotiations with the JP ended unsuccessfully after it refused to cede the Vaikaradhoo and Makunudhoo constituencies as requested by the AP.

Last week, the AP announced that it would be fielding candidates in six constituencies contested by the JP.

In addition to the five candidates announced on Wednesday – Anara Naeem for the Makunudhoo constituency in Haa Dhaal atoll, Aishath Haleela for the Vaikaradhoo constituency, Ahmed Zahir for the Komandoo constituency, Asadhulla Shafie for the Kaashidhoo constituency, and Hisham Ahmed for the Meedhoo constituency in Addu City – the AP later announced that State Minister for Home Affairs Abdulla Mohamed was awarded the party’s ticket for the Nolhivaram constituency.

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MDP launches parliamentary elections campaign

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) officially launched its parliamentary elections campaign at a rally in Malé last night.

Addressing supporters at the carnival area of the artificial beach, former President Mohamed Nasheed said the party was once again facing an election with “many new experiences” and “renewed courage”.

“The Maldivian Democratic Party has made a proposal to the Maldivian people. This party has brought hope of another way for the people – the hope that they could find housing, provide healthcare for their children, provide education for their children, travel easily from one place to another, and [the hope] that the Maldivian people will have social security,” he said.

The party’s aim was to fulfil the hopes of the Maldivian people, he added, pledging to “take you to the ‘Other Maldives.'”

“It is going to be 100 days since the Maldivian government changed the way the Supreme Court wanted. The people of our country can see very clearly how things transpired during the past 100 days. They said they will create 90,000-odd jobs but our people were watching when posts were divided among family members,” Nasheed said.

The Progressive Party of Maldives-led (PPM) coalition government has not formulated policies or launched any projects to spur job creation, Nasheed claimed.

“Building flats has stalled and they’re saying loudly that there’s no money for land reclamation,” he continued. “We are seeing the [public] transport system come to a halt. Going from one island to another for medical treatment or to visit relatives has once again become difficult.”

The MDP government’s policy of shifting schools to single sessions, which Nasheed contended was responsible for year-on-year improvements in the O’ Level pass rate, has been discontinued, he added.

Moreover, infrastructure projects in the atolls, such as construction of harbours and provision of electricity and waste management services, have also ceased, Nasheed said.

Nasheed argued that development projects remained stalled because senior government officials were working in their self-interest.

During last year’s presidential campaign, Nasheed had maintained that a power sharing arrangement to form a coalition government was incompatible with the presidential system envisioned in the Maldivian government.

Nasheed went on to call on the public to “vote for the scale [MDP logo]”.

“Vote for the scale to reform the judiciary. We are asking the Maldivian people to vote for the scale to not let the powers of the state be merged. We are asking the Maldivian people to vote for the scale to guarantee social security,” he said.

The former president expressed confidence that the MDP would secure a “comfortable majority” in the upcoming parliamentary polls scheduled for March 22. The party is contesting all 85 constituencies.

At last night’s rally, 84 of the party’s candidates for the People’s Majlis were brought on stage to read out a declaration pledging loyalty to the party.

The MDP’s slogan for this year’s campaign is “Vote for the scale for separation of powers.”

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