Nasheed urges MPs to take action against Aslam

Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed on Tuesday urged MPs to take action against home minister Mohamed Aslam and prosecute him for refusing to pass a regulation that allows construction of 10 storeys on all land allotted to the public for living in Hulhumale.

The 18th parliament passed the Hulhumale Planning and Construction Regulations on 27 November 2018. However, planning minister Mohamed Aslam refused to gazette the rules made by the Parliament as passed.

On 10 November, the parliament's regulations committee passed a resolution directing the ministry once again to gazette the rules. The report of the regulations committee was tabled for Tuesday.

Nasheed, who was presiding over the meeting, expressed concern over the issue after the chairman of the regulations committee, MDA MP from Kudahuvadhoo constituency Ahmed Amir, presented the committee's report to the house. He said that when parliament instructs to follow a certain procedure, non-compliance is a violation of the law. Nasheed said that the matter was a very "difficult issue" for him.

"The law allows no option but to follow it [as directed by parliament]. When it doesn't happen it's a violation of the law. So you members can decide whether to go to trial or take a decision on the minister," he said, referring to Aslam, who was housing minister in Nasheed's government as well.

Pointing out that parliament is made up of political parties and Aslam is also a minister from the main ruling party, MDP, Nasheed noted that the party also has a majority in the parliament. He added that Aslam has the option of resolving the issue by not opposing a decision taken by parliament.

"They (Aslam) are open to  come to the parliament to speak to the honourable members of the house and discuss matters as per their wishes. When this is the case, Aslam  does have the option to not oppose the parliament’s decision, but to come and talk," he said, criticising Aslam.

"I mean, it's a matter of concern for me. I believe the honourable members will consider the extent of the law violations in this regard and take it forward from there. Otherwise, there is no point in committees like this."

The committee concluded that while the Planning Ministry and HDC were unhappy with the rules, the parliamentary rules committee examined the matter and concluded that it was not the prerogative of the minister to halt the regulations from being gazetted. Therefore, the committee had approved a directive to the Ministry to send the regulations to the President's Office within seven days of the parliament's approval of the report for gazetting.