PPM says no disciplinary complaint was lodged against Faris

Deputy Secretary-General of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Abdul Aleem has said that no disciplinary complaint against Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon was lodged with the party office.

Aleem’s statement comes after PPM Disciplinary Committee announced that it had decided to remove Faris from the party after reviewing his violation of a three-line whip issued by PPM Parliamentary Group.

Aleem referred to Chapter 1, Article 14 (a) of PPM’s rules regarding disciplinary issues, and said that disciplinary complaints needed to be lodged with PPM office.

He said that no disciplinary complaint regarding Faris had been lodged with PPM office.

Aleem made the statements in his response to a letter sent by Faris to PPM stating that he had not been notified through any official body within the party of a disciplinary complaint being lodged against him. And that all he heard regarding the issue came from media reports.

Speaking to “Sun” on July 5, Leader of PPM Disciplinary Committee, State Islamic Minister Ali Waheed Abdul Rahman said that the Committee had made the decision to remove him from PPM over the disciplinary issue.

He said that the decision was made after deliberating over the complaint.

Faris was removed from all PPM Viber groups after that.

Faris had violated the PPM Parliamentary Group three-line whip by voting against the amendment to Tourism Act allowing for government to be able to lease islands, lagoons and land for tourism without an open-bidding process.

Faris' father - Leader of PPM and former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had opposed the amendment, while President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom - his uncle - had pushed for PPM members to back the amendment.

The amendment in question was passed by People's Majlis and ratified by President Yameen on Sunday.