Responsible opposition welcome, Muizzu assures MDP

President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Monday urged MDP to start the process, saying that he would welcome the presence of MDP as a responsible opposition party.

Muizzu made the remarks while speaking at a celebratory rally held at the Social Centre on Monday evening to celebrate his victory over the incumbent MDP presidential candidate, President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih, in the presidential election held on Saturday.

“I want to tell the current government [or] the MDP, the party that will be the opposition after November 17, that this is a democracy. In accordance with the fine rules of democracy, while thanking you for welcoming me and thanking the President for meeting with me yesterday, I ask you to be prepared to [work] as a responsible opposition. That is something I welcome,” he said.

Speaking further on the importance of having a responsible opposition, Muizzu said that a responsible opposition is needed to run the government properly in a democracy. Despite criticising the government, he said, a responsible opposition should come together on national issues.

"A responsible opposition will criticise what the government is doing. And it will bring better policies to the people. However, a responsible opposition will also stand together on everything that is important to the country”, Muizzu explained.

He stressed the importance of having a responsible opposition like in the UK, which is familiar to the MDP and is also where Muizzu had lived for eight years.

Muizzu thanked all those who worked to elect him to power "for the future of Maldives" and "for the freedom of the country". Muizzu also included those who disagreed with him.

"I want to include in this thanks those who did not vote for me and disagreed with me. They are also the people of Maldives. Because I will serve without discrimination and equally for all people," Muizzu explained.

"This country needs to come to peace. This country is [bigger] than the interests of anyone or any political leader or any political party. The interests of the country must come first."

Muizzu said he would rule accordingly and put the interests of the people first. The people put that interest first in Saturday’s presidential election, he said.

"I wish to make every day a day when we make that resolve from the bottom of our hearts and shape our behavior and relationships accordingly. We should resolve to put the interests of the country above the interests of each of us," Muizzu urged the people.