No-confidence motion against Speaker Abdulla Shahid withdrawn

The motion of no confidence against Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid scheduled to commence today, has been withdrawn. The motion was presented to parliament by 15 MPs from government coalition parties and was recalled when Thimarafushi MP Ahmed Shareef and Ungoofaaru MP Ibrahim Ameen announced they do not wish to continue the motion. Chair of the session, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim announced the motion was annulled when two MPs withdrew their support. The motion was presented to parliament by 27 October. Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof said the motion claims that the Speaker was unlawful and corrupt in his conduct of the parliament. Answering the motion today, Speaker Abdulla Shahid said the accusations have no basis and his conduct of the parliament has so far been fair and unbiased. During the debate time, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs spoke in the Speaker's defence and said they had full confidence in the Speaker’s conduct, that Abdulla Shahid is the first Speaker to attain the seat through a vote and that the no confidence motion was unnecessary and presented during a time of political turmoil.