Fayyaz: Presidents must be stopped from revising constitution whichever way they want

The constitution must be amended to prevent presidents from revising it whichever way they want, says Fayyaz Ismail, former economic minister and chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

In an appearance on a program that aired on SanguTV on Friday on occasion of the 18th anniversary of the new constitution, Fayyaz noted that the enactment of the new constitution in 2008 had provided the Maldivian people with fundamental rights.

But he sees the power that presidents who have the backing of a supermajority of the Parliament have to rescind these rights, if they wish, as a great threat.

“My biggest concern is the potential for backsliding. That is, the potential for a president to rescind the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution through the Parliament, or backslide on what the constitution envisions,” he said.

Fayyaz said that incumbent parliamentarians lack any autonomy, with their “keys” firmly in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s hands.

He slammed the Parliament, in which the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) holds a supermajority, over alleged failure to defend the constitution.

Fayyaz said that back when the MDP held a supermajority in the Parliament, they were brave enough to have cabinet ministers brought in for questioning, and allowed room for opposition lawmakers to speak.

He alleged that incumbent parliamentarians do not engage in any discourse that is of any benefit to the people.