The parliamentary group of the Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) has declined to explain the reason for 13 MPs withdrawing their signatures from no-confidence motions filed by the ruling coalition against Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem.
Adhadhu has obtained a letter sent by the MPs to withdraw their signatures for the removal of Aslam and Saleem, both of whom are MPs of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the majority party in Parliament. The letter did not state a reason for the decision.
The letter sent yesterday addressed to Speaker Aslam stated that the MPs wish to withdraw their signatures as they "do not want to proceed with the impeachment motion at present."
Speaking to Adhadhu, PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Moosa Siraj, the minority leader of Parliament, said the group decided after extensive discussions that the move was unnecessary at the moment.
However, he declined to provide details about the discussions.
"I can't provide details about those discussions. In any case, [it was withdrawn] because we don't believe it has to be done now," said Siraj, who represents the Fonadhoo constituency in Parliament.
The MPs who withdrew their signatures:
- Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem
- Fonadhoo MP Moosa Siraj
- Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed
- Thulusdhoo MP Ibrahim Naseem
- Feydhoo MP Mohamed Nihad
- Isdhoo MP Ali Hameed
- Nilandhoo MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed
- Mulah MP Ibrahim Naseer
- Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer
- Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan
- Guraidhoo MP Ibrahim Shaaz
- Kurendhoo MP Abdul Ghanee Abdul Hakeem
- Komandoo MP Mohamed Rasheed
According to section 205 of Parliament's rules, a resolution signed by one-fourth of MPs must be submitted to seek the removal of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. That is a minimum of 20 MPs.
The legal number needed to move the impeachment motions against Aslam and Saleem was lost when 13 out of the 23 MPs withdrew their signatures. The motions therefore will not proceed despite the Secretariat providing notice to MPs.
Sixteen MPs represent the ruling PPM-PNC coalition in Parliament. Two MPs each from the Maldives National Party (MNP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) also back the government.
The opposition MDP has 44 MPs along with 13 MPs from current ally Democrats. The other MPs include one independent MP and two Jumhooree Party (JP) MPs.
