Action to be taken against Shifag for going against MDP

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) has said that action according to MDP Parliamentary group regulations will be taken against MP Shifag Mufeed for acting against the party’s three-line whip.

Shifag participated in voting to approve the Vice President and fourteen cabinet ministers today, when MDP had made the decision to boycott today’s session.

Shifag even criticised MDP at today’s meeting.

Ibu said that a three-line whip was issued yesterday informing all MPs of MDP not to participate in today’s meeting. Shifag will be given a chance to explain his actions, but action will be taken against him as it has been done against others who have violated three-line whips in the past.

Shifag said that he acted against the three-line whip and attended today’s session because his conscience did not agree with MDP’s decision, for several reasons.

Shifag said that even though MDP boycotted today’s meeting by calling members of the current government ‘traitors’, it is important to think about who ratifies the bills passed at the Parliament – and there is no point in issuing a three-line whip on a lost cause.

“We present bills to the Parliament, propose revisions to these bills, pass them, and send them for ratification. There is no problem with that. But we have to think about who we send the bills to for ratification. Even I believe President Nasheed when he says that the current government was formed through a coup. Even though investigations on the incidents are ongoing, MDP has to present a report detailing the events. The issue can be investigated by submitting it to Parliamentary Committees where MDP holds majority. But just saying ‘traitor, traitor’ without conducting any investigation is not acceptable,” Shifag said.

Shifag has also been posting on Twitter against several decisions made by MDP. He tweeted today that he is not afraid of change, and that he does not wish for the nation to come to a stop.