Faris says he voted against the bill in accordance with PPM Constitution

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) lawmaker Ahmed Faris Maumoon has said that he voted against the tourism bill despite the three-line whip issued by the party’s parliamentary group in accordance with the letter and spirit of the constitution of the party.

Faris made the statement is a tweet sent out from his official Twitter account on Monday, after PPM Parliamentary Group voted on expelling him from the group, and sent the issue to Disciplinary Committee for a final decision.

He said in the tweet that he was prepared to justify his decision to vote against authorizing Ministry of Tourism to lease islands, lagoons and land for tourism without open-bidding.

I'm prepared to justify my actions: they are in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the PPM Constitution

— Ahmed Faris Maumoon (@afarismaumoon) July 4, 2016

Meanwhile, PPM leader, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has sent a letter to leader of PPM Parliamentary Group, Vilimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik, saying that he did not consider their decision to be just even though Faris had voted against the whip-line, as he had followed the instructions provided by the party’s leader.

He also pointed out that Faris had been singled out for punishment, while other lawmakers had gone unpunished for similar violations of party whip-line in the past.

“Sun” has been informed that Parliamentary Group requested disciplinary action against Faris upon request of President Abdulla Yameen.

Yameen had said in a Viber group which includes PPM lawmakers that members that refuse to pass bills needed to enforce the policies of the party need to be penalized.