Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas has accused the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group leader Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah of threatening and offering bribes in connection with votes in the People's Majlis.
Abbas posted on X that Falah begged him not to debate and to vote in a specific manner on some of the bills.
"He offered to give jobs to five people from each island of my constituency if I voted as he wished," the MP from Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) alleged.
"He also told me to vote in a specific way and said there was some money he had to give me and asked me to stay in the parliament grounds until he goes home and comes back with the money. But I didn't wait for him."
Abbas added that he had also been requested to abstain from some votes if he did not want to vote in favour of the government.
The Velidhoo MP claimed that some PNC MPs complained that Falah was mistreating them, with some receiving more money than others.
There are accusations that President Mohamed Muizzu gives MVR 50,000 to PNC MPs each month. The party has denied this, but some MPs confirmed it to Adhadhu.
"Some MPs are telling me with so much emotion that Falah gives money to others while giving them only MVR 5000 or 10,000," Abbas alleged.
Abbas added that PNC members told Muizzu that some of their campaign debts remain unpaid and the President promised to help with the debts.
“Many PNC members shared their frustrations with me because he noted down the figures, saying he would pay the debts and then ignored them,” Abbas said.
Individual MPs from PNC are unable to get a meeting with Muizzu for two or three months, but when the government wants to pass a bill, the entire parliamentary group is summoned to his official residence Muleeaage, Abbas said.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has not disclosed whether it is investigating the alleged bribes to PNC MPs.
