Two major political parties concerned by Imran

The warning given by Sheikh Imran Abdullah, President of the Adaalath Party, to People’s Majlis Speaker Abdullah Shahid and the Members of Parliament, is a serious violation of parliamentary privileges, and appropriate and necessary action against Imran must be taken soon as proposed by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), says Abdullah Mausoom, the Leader of Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group.

Mausoom said that he would try to win the support of DRP’s Parliamentary Group to the proposition by former President Mahomet Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party to take action against Sheikh Imran.

Mausoom opined that “uttering speech warning an MP due to dissatisfaction over how he voted in the Majlis is a violation of parliamentary privilege”, and that MDP’s Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim “Ibu” Mahomet Salih was right in deciding that Imran’s warnings should be investigated.

“It is against the principles of democracy to try to influence the right of MPs to vote how they wish at the Parliament through warnings. Even Islam does not endorse threatening people. Hence, I do believe that it is a question of privilege, and the case must be pursued, investigated, and I will do whatever I can to convince the DRP Parliamentary Group that this should be the case”, said Mausoom.

Ibu, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader said that he heard about Imran’s warnings from the media, and that he immediately took necessary steps, as it was a serious issue. He said that there had been discussions about the matter in the Parliamentary Group, and that the issue would shortly be submitted to the Majlis. He also said that Imran had “violated the privileges of MPs”.

“This is a threat to the privileges of all the Parliamentarians, and hence we are speaking with other MPs as well. Every MP has the right to vote in the Majlis as he sees fit, and giving warnings about how MPs should vote is a sad thing”, Ibu said.

The issue arose, when Sheikh Imran said, speaking in a rally held at Artificial Beach a couple of nights ago, that the attempts by GMR, an Indian Company currently operating the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, to bribe MPs into saying yes to a proposed amendment to Majlis Rules, which would, if passed, enable all no-confidence motions on the Maljis floor to go for a secret balloting. Imran said that anyone saying yes to this politically motivated amendment would be considered a traitor to the nation, and that they would lead the people and “run after them”.

Neither Ibu, nor Mausoom made any comments about the fact that the People’s Majlis has constantly being criticized of thinking about their own personal and political interests, and never concerned about the people whom they are supposed to represent.