Gasim hits at 'snail-speed' govt for doing wrongs

JP leader and presidential candidate Gasim Ibrahim said on Wednesday that the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has committed “wrongful acts” and therefore he cannot work to bring what he described as the "snail-speed government" back for another term.

Gasim, who is now campaigning in Lhaviyani atoll, arrived in Lh. Naifaru on Wednesday where he met with the people.

Alleging blame for the presence of Indian troops in the Maldives during President Solih's tenure, Gasim said the government was well aware that it was illegal to bring foreign troops to the Maldives.

"They will know it, like literally. They will know that [foreign troops] cannot be deployed unless approved by the Maldivian parliament," he said.

Gasim, who had refused to form an alliance with MDP for a second term despite being part of the current government's coalition, said he did not go to Hinnavaru, the birth island of President Solih during his visit to Lhaviyani atoll, as he did not want to make such comments about President Solih in front of his family.

Gasim said it was not easy for him to make such statements in front of the family, nor was it acceptable to discipline norms.

“It is not that the island has been made a second category island or because that Ibrahim Mohammed Solih is in power I do not wish to praise the good things he has done,” he said.

Gasim said he would praise everyone for the good things they do, but he would not try to elect them to power a second time if they do bad things.

“We will not do that,” he said, adding that if President Solih is given a second term, there is nothing left to talk of independence.

Gasim recalled the past administrations and referring to former President Mohamed Nasheed, Gasim said he had to leave power within a few years as he was an “activist with no experience in governance”. 

After that, the PPM government brought injustice and he too had to stay in jail, Gasim said.

"There was no compassion. In addition to his 80-year-old brother [former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom], his [Maumoon's] daughter's husband was also in jail," Gasim said, referring to former President Abdulla Yameen's rule.

Gasim urged the people to vote very wisely in the September 9 presidential election.