Minority parties slam MDP for stalling committees
Secretary general said that the formation of the committees was put on hold after MDP's parliamentary group leader Mohamed Aslam made the request.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
Minority parties in the parliament said on Monday that the standing committees of the parliament could not be formed because the ruling MDP, which has the majority in the parliament, is not willing to make any compromises on the issue.
Two no-confidence motions have been submitted to the parliament, signed by MDP lawmakers, seeking the removal of Mohamed Nasheed as speaker and Eva Abdulla as deputy speaker.
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Secretary general Fathimath Niusha informed the MPs on Thursday that the motion to remove Eva as deputy speaker has been put on hold as per regulations, as committees have not been reconstituted following the change in the number of members of the political parties represented in the parliament
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Parties are unable to agree on the composition of parties and independent MPs in the committees
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MDP has accused the speaker of deliberately delaying the reconstitution of the committees; in the event of a no-confidence motion against the speaker and deputy speaker, another case can be taken up in the parliament only after a decision is taken on the no-confidence motion
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However, secretary general said that the formation of the committees was put on hold after MDP's parliamentary group leader Mohamed Aslam made the request
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Aslam denies this; he said MDP could not agree on the proposal to form some committees
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Aslam believes that the party should have majority in every committee
The minority parties said the committees had come to a halt and the parliament is in deadlock because MDP wants pro-government MPs in the committees.
Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim, who is now an independent member and is among the aides of Nasheed working on registering The Democrats party, said a previous vote on the new composition of committees was postponed because MDP wanted to do so.
Azim pointed out that the decision to vote at that time was taken in such a way that MDP had a majority in every committee.
"MDP got 53%, 58% of each committee. However, they did not want to continue with it at that time. I don't know why," said Azim, who had previously served as the parliamentary group leader of MDP.
Asked about MDP's claims that Eva's case could not be taken up, Azim said he did not believe that the matter could be taken up without reconstituting the committees.
"So, as long as the general committee doesn't make a call on it, I don't think it can be on the agenda," he said.
Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain, who represents Jumhooree Party in parliament, also said:
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The committees were stalled as MDP wanted it
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He describes it as an attempt by the government to silence the voice of parliament's minority groups.
"Therefore, I believe that it is actually planned and systemically done by the government to suppress our voice in order to stop what we are talking about against the government," Ali Hussain said.
He said MDP had moved a no-confidence motion against the speaker in a manner that could lead to a deadlock in the parliament.
Ali Hussain said MDP did not raise the issue in such a way that it could be decided in the current term, which will end by the end of the month.
Article 33 of the parliament's rules of procedure state:
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The percentage of representation of parties in the committees and committee members will be decided after consultation with the leaders of the political parties represented in parliament
According to Article 129 of the rules of procedure:
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Members will be nominated to committees by the parliamentary group leader of the political parties to which they belong
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Speaker is tasked with protecting the interests of independent MPs
