The Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) is working together with the newly-formed The Democrats as instructed by former president Abdulla Yameen, PPM vice president and Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam said today.
Responding to questions at a press conference at the PPM office after talks between the PPM-PNC and The Democrats, Shiyam said Yameen was providing clear instructions about moving forward with The Democrats despite being in jail.
Shiyam said the PPM-PNC would not "take even a step" without his instruction.
"As you know, president Yameen is in jail today. He is giving instructions on this very well, on going forward in this with The Democrats. PPM-PNC will not take even a step without president Yameen's instruction," Shiyam said.
Despite working together, there were areas of disagreement, Shiyam said today as well. But both sides agree that the government needs to be changed, he said.
Shiyam said in his view, former president Mohamed Nasheed tried to improve matters between the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the government. But he is now working with the PPM-PNC because the government could not be reformed despite a lot of effort, Shiyam said.
"Certainly it's because he couldn't make things better despite a lot of work that we are together today," Shiyam said.
Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim, who represented The Democrats at the press conference, said both sides agree that president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration needs to be changed. When the government becomes dictatorial, everyone else would object and work together, he said.
"We will do everything necessary to change the government together. So anything is possible," he said.
