PPM has

Maumoon Hameed has said that the decision by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) parliamentary group to vote for Criminal Court Judge Muhthaz Muhsin instead of himself in the upcoming parliament endorsement was made from an “evident desire to install a puppet” as a Prosecutor General.

In a Facebook message posted late Sunday night, Maumoon Hameed said that the PPM parliamentary group’s reasoning behind the decision was that “he will not do as we please!”

“Given this reasoning, and the evident desire to install a puppet instead of someone who will uphold the law without fear or favour, I applaud the decision to endorse someone (anyone!) other than me,” read Maumoon Hameed's post.

He also said that he will respect the parliament’s decision on the next Prosecutor General.

PPM parliamentary group on Saturday decided to vote for Judge Muhthaz Muhsin and has issued a three-line whip for MPs to attend the vote.

The parliamentary group’s decision contradicts an order by PPM leader, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to back his nephew and prominent lawyer Maumoon Hameed for the Prosecutor General post.

Maumoon Hameed and Judge Muhthaz Muhsin have already been rejected by the Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions after failing to attain the required score from the committee evaluation.

Judge Muhthaz Muhsin gained 67 percent and Maumoon Hameed 33 percent in the evaluation. A minimum score of 75 percent is required to stand a recommendation from the committee. Parliament is due to vote on the Prosecutor General endorsement today.