Opposition to boycott Monday’s parliamentary sitting

Opposition members will be boycotting the parliament meeting to be held on Monday.

In a joint news statement issued by the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC), the opposition stated that MPs representing PPM and PNC would not attend the Monday’s sitting.

As per the statement, the reasons for the boycott are main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members assaulting PPM’s vice-chairperson MP Ahmed Shiyam during earlirt parliamentary sitting and locking out the members who were out of the hall to check on an injured Shiyam, thereby preventing the members of their right to vote.

MP Ahmed Shiyam was asked to leave the parliament chamber by Speaker Nasheed when Shiyam kept repeatedly interrupting the Speaker. After Shiyam refused to abide by the instruction of the Speaker Nasheed, members of MDP forcefully removed him out of the hall and he was locked outside the chamber. During the forceful removal, Shiyam and some members of MDP were injured.

The opposition alleges that MP Shiyam was assaulted upon the instruction of the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed. A police case has been filed regarding the incident.

Home Minister Imran Abdulla has stated that the matter will be investigated, and justice will be served without any discrimination. Pro-government parliament members have criticized Imran over the matter and warned him not to meddle with parliamentary issues.

This is the first time members have boycotted a parliament meeting during the current term.