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By Andrew Richards/Maldives Republic
Male, January 24: The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and The Democrats, formalising an alliance after a turbulent period of political rivalry, have expressed their deep concerns regarding the foreign policy direction taken by the current government of Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
The union was formalised during a joint press conference, where MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament MP Ahmed Saleem, MP Hassan Latheef (President of the MDP), and MP Ali Azim (Parliamentary Group Leader of The Democrats) addressed the media.
The central issue highlighted at the press conference revolves around the apparent shift towards an anti-India stance by the present administration. Both the MDP and The Democrats emphasised that alienating any development partner, especially the nation’s longstanding ally, India, could have grave consequences for the long-term development of the Maldives.
Traditionally, the Maldives has maintained a policy of cooperation with all development partners, and this departure from the norm is viewed as detrimental to the country’s interests. They underscored that stability and security in the Indian Ocean region are essential for the Maldives’ own stability and security.
In addition to their concerns over foreign policy, MDP and The Democrats outlined several key commitments and issues they intend to address jointly:
· Legislation to regulate the governance of State-Owned Enterprises
· Legislation to limit the number of political appointees made by governments
· Worries over the government’s projected spending without clear revenue measures
· Concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the state’s financial status
· Calls for transparency in Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements, particularly those involving foreign parties
· Delays in releasing allocated flats and land plots to Malé residents
· Concerns over the increase in political appointees
· Fears of media censorship and threats to freedom of the press
To tackle these pressing issues, members of the two parties, collectively holding 55 seats in the 87-member house, have made a formal request for an extraordinary parliamentary sitting. This session aims to initiate the legislative process and introduce necessary constitutional amendments to address the outlined concerns.
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