Yameen: Parliament should not have the power to modify Maldives’ territory

Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom states the Parliament should not have the power to the modify Maldives’ territory, adding the power should be vested in the people.

The government submitted three major amendments to the Parliament on November 18^th. Ruling PNC-dominated Parliament passed the amendments on the same day. They included ones regarding Maldives’ territory to require the approval of a three-quarters majority of the Parliament to make any modifications to Maldives territory.  

Speaking at a PNF event on Monday night, Yameen said the Parliament should not be empowered to decide on forfeiting Maldives’ territory. He emphasized that even a single inch of the Maldivian territory should be forfeited after seeking the opinion of the nation’s citizens.

“As one thing, they are saying even an inch of Maldivian territory cannot be modified without parliamentary approval. This is not something we should leave up to the Parliament. It is not the responsibility of parliamentary representatives,” he said.

Yameen also expressed concern regarding President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks in which he described a parliamentary assembly with PNC supermajority being empowered to define Maldives’ territory as a symbol of progress.

Rather, the former president said the government’s amendments to the constitution set back Maldives by several years.

Prior to this, modifications to Maldives’ territory required a public referendum.

Yameen also criticized the amendment to the constitution which requires parliamentary approval before any foreign military personnel can be deployed within Maldivian territory while stressing no foreign military personnel should be based in Maldivian territory. On the contrary, he said the Parliament’s role should be to monitor whether there is any presence of foreign military in the Maldives.

The government’s amendments to the constitution have been criticized by many including the opposition. Notably, the amendments include anti-defection provision to prevent floor crossing. Although anti-defection provisions in principle have not been contested, many believe it should apply to parliamentarians who are expelled as stated in the amendments.

Amendments proposed by main opposition MDP to stipulate that parliamentarians expelled from their parties can only be removed after a public vote was rejected.