MDP, Democrats abusing majority to upend parliament system, pres says

President Mohamed Muizzu has accused the opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) and The Democrats of trying to break the system in the parliament by using their majority in the parliament while the government was working hard in serving the people.

The ruling PPM-PNC candidate for the Mayoral seat of the city, Azima Shukoor, held a rally at the Dhivehinge Raajje party camp below Dhon Manik Sky-view Restaurant on Friday evening. Speaking at the rally, President Muizzu criticized the opposition MDP and The Democrats.

The President has criticized the way the MDP and Democrats are working in Parliament. The President said the two parties are trying to undermine the system while the government is doing a lot of work.

"This is how they are acting in parliament. It doesn't set a good example of democracy at all. It doesn't put the people first at all. So today, it doesn't seem like the people of the city should interfere with the development going on here. Do not do that”.

The party is acting on the orders of the party leadership, he said. He said that if the MDP and Democrats elect a candidate to contest the mayoral election, the candidates will also follow the order given by the party to which the candidate belongs.

Then the government's efforts to make its vision of Male a reality will not succeed, he said.

"What does that mean? The candidate is coming from the party line. The order is coming from the party. If the other two candidates are elected, from the MDP or Democrats, they might receive orders tomorrow to oppose a governmental project. What will that candidate do then?” the President said.

The President questioned whether the candidates would dare to go to the people and say that they would not follow the party's advice and would put the people first. The President said that an opposition candidate cannot say that and that is not the way any party's politics work.

If the government candidate Azima is elected, it will be easier for the government to complete its plans at a faster pace, he said. Therefore, the President asked the people of Male to cooperate.

"What are the policies of the MDP government? We have seen the sea sold. Nationalism has been lost. Independence is on the verge of being lost. The sea has been sold, our freedom has been sold. Breathing tubes were sold too," Muizzu said.

"We still don't know where the ventilators went. So will you choose a candidate who doesn't know where the ventilators went? Do you want to bring that party?"

Azima's competitors in the by-election are: