President: MPs don’t get elected by holding up a photograph

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom commented that representatives of People’s Majlis did not get elected by “holding up a photograph” of someone, in a dig against comments made by Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – who he had a falling out with.

Maumoon had remarked that many of the PPM lawmakers, who had left his side in support of President Yameen in the conflict within PPM, had been elected to office by holding up his photograph, and because he had endorsed them and campaigned for them.

Maumoon had also remarked that President Yameen himself had been elected to office after he endorsed Yameen and visited the atolls and campaigned for him.

Speaking to the people of Sh. Kanditheem after inaugurating the island’s sewerage system this Wednesday, President Yameen said that the days of people voting on a whim was in the past.

He said that political parties needed to put in a lot of effort into boosting the confidence of the people in their ability to deliver on the promises made before coming to power.

President Yameen said that representatives of People’s Majlis did not get elected by holding up a photograph, but by the promises made and the set of values held by the political party he or she belonged to.

He said that it wasn’t a vote to the individual, but to the party.

“Once you reach that point and once the people place their confidence in them, then there’s no choice. It’s a huge violation. It’s a huge wrong. It’s not an option to leave behind the values and do something else,” said President Yameen.

He said that despite the legal room to do as they wish, the people elected representatives after placing a huge amount of trust and confidence in them, and that it was therefore their duty to do as they promised to the people.

President Yameen said that he hadn’t come to power under any ruse, but due to his perseverance and by pitching his ideas to the people and gaining their confidence.

Maumoon and his supporters have commented that he had played a huge role in bringing President Yameen to power.