Nasheed in debut Democrats speech threatens to 'dismantle' MDP
He had to leave the MDP, Nasheed said, because the party was moving away from the beliefs and rules he believed in for so long.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Parliament speaker Mohammed Nasheed in his first speech on Thursday as a member of The Democrats party threatened to "dismantle" the "sinking MDP".
Nasheed, who was instrumental in the formation of ruling MDP but left the Maldives' first and biggest party on June 21, formally joined The Democrats at a rally at Artificial Beach in capital Male Thursday evening.
Nasheed began his speech by thanking those who left senior government positions and jobs to join The Democrats. They were, as Nasheed described them, "strong-willed, well-mannered and disciplined”.
"What is happening with MDP is what happens to a screw pine. When the bottom pine falls out, the whole pine bulb will collapse. The MDP is going to collapse. The bottom pine has fallen," Nasheed said.
Nasheed, who lost the MDP presidential primary to incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in January, said he started forming the new party to “revive an ideology” because he “believed in principles”.
He had to leave the MDP, Nasheed said, because the party was moving away from the beliefs and rules he believed in for so long. He said he had spent most of his life in injustice and worked to build an "honest and sincere" country.
"We, especially I, formed a political party to uphold these principles. Honesty, sincerity. That is the only capital country needs," he said at the rally.
"There is no progress by holding back, by oppressing. The way of nature is to progress, not oppress or hold back”.
He then quoted his eldest daughter, now 24 years old.
"Father was not fond of a colour. Father was not fond of a song. He was not fond of a logo, or a flower, or leaf, not any of these things. We were trying to revive an idea," Nasheed said.
Nasheed urged the people to never abandon their philosophies and ideologies. He also referred to his "close friends" in the MDP, saying, "you are in the wrong place”.
"Don't give up [beliefs] for the purpose of a job [and] material prosperity. You can't get ideologies back. You can't get your principles from SME Bank. You can get a loan, you can go in debt, but you can't get an honest life through a bank”.
“I tell all the members of the MDP, I will dismantle the party,” Nasheed said to a standing ovation.
"I will break it up, will break it up!" he repeated five times and louder.
"Your bottom pine has fallen out. We will dismantle your party," Nasheed said, linking his closing statement with his opening remarks.
