Nihan criticizes opposition MPs for “sipping tea” instead of attending sitting

Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s parliamentary group, Vilimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik has criticized the failure to a large number of opposition lawmakers to attend the People’s Majlis sitting this Tuesday morning.

This Tuesday’s sitting was scheduled to begin at 9 am, but was delayed due to lack of quorum.

Expressing annoyance, Nihan said opposition lawmakers had hurried to the Majlis chamber last Sunday when two sittings were held on the same day.

“They found it no problem having to spend so much time in those sittings. They were able to come here that day for the sake of the lawmakers undergoing legal proceedings over their parliamentary seats and the sake of others,” said Nihan.

Nihan also criticized the Deputy Speaker of People’s Majlis, Moosa Manik who was presiding over the sitting this Tuesday. He said Moosa had appeared very efficient on Sunday when two sittings were held consecutively.

He said PPM lawmakers managed to attend the despite flood water in the streets of Male’ City reaching up to one-feet high near their residences.

He noted that Majlis was scheduled to hear the report by the Public Finance Committee on the projected budget for the Auditor General’s Office for 2019, and debate on the findings of the committee. He said lawmakers will only be able to judge the findings of the committee if they attend the sitting.

Nihan said the opposition lawmakers were in the Majlis premises, but in the tearoom sipping tea instead of attending the sitting.

Kelaa MP Ali Arif also criticized the opposition lawmakers. He said the opposition lawmakers had boycotted Majlis sitting all these days over the issue of the 12 disqualified lawmakers, but consciously chose not to attend the sitting this Tuesday even though no longer had any such reason.

The Majlis sittings last Sunday was the first scheduled in over two months. Opposition lawmakers had participated in the two sittings held on Sunday, but were not in attendance during the sitting this Tuesday morning.