MP Jabir signs for MDP

Member of Parliament for Kaashidhoo Constituency, and prominent business tycoon and resort owner Abdulla Jabir has signed for the Maldivian Democratic Party.

Jabir signed for former President Mahomet Nasheed’s party tonight, during the party’s “Journey of Promise” at the central north region of the country. The signing ceremony was held on a boat on its way to one of the islands in the region.

This would be the second time Jabir joins Nasheed’s MDP.

Speaking to Sun Online tonight, Jabir said that he decided to join MDP for the second time, because he believed he “should join MDP in order to work for the development and future of the Maldives”. Jabir also said that though there were differences of opinion between him and Nasheed in the past, all those differences are now settled.

“Back then, I had my differences with MDP, but they are no more. God willing, I would be with this party until the 2013 presidential elections”, said Jabir.

Jabir spent a long time after he left MDP away from politics. However, he joined the Jumhoory Party some months ago, on the eve of a parliamentary by-election to fill the vacant seat of Kaashidhoo Constituency. He won with the support of Jumhoory Party and the parties belonging to the government “coalition”. He worked as the Deputy Leader of Jumhoory Party as well. However, he was recently dismissed from the position by the Jumhoory Party Council.

Jabir accused Jumhoory Party of treating him in violation of the principles of democracy.

After being elected as MP with the support of President Dr. Waheed and parties behind him, Jabir then started to criticize the President, allegedly because the government did not give in to his demands for business deals and opportunities by way of corruption. Jabir’s criticism of the President grew to an unusual level of “intensity and ferociousness” according to one commentator, after he and a group of colleagues were found red-handed in the uninhabited island of Haa Dhaalu Hondaidhoo with liquor and drugs by the police.