Parliamentarians begin gathering signatures to submit no-confidence motion against Health Minister Ameen

MDP parliamentarians opposed to Health Minister Abdulla Ameen have begun signing a petition to submit a no-confidence motion against him to the Parliament.

The MDP parliamentary group failed to pass a vote of no-confidence against Ameen in response to the corruption allegations against him on Tuesday evening.

However, some MDP parliamentarians are gathering signatures to submit a no-confidence motion against Ameen, irrespective of the vote results.

South Galolhu MP Mickail Ahmed Naseem has announced that he has signed the petition.

“I have signed to submit a no-confidence motion against Ameen in response to his open theft, because I do not wish for him to remain in office getting paid taxpayer money,” said Mickail in a tweet.

He posted a photo of himself signing the petition, which shows that at least 15 parliamentarians have already signed the petition.

According to Parliament regulations, the submission of a no-confidence motion against a Cabinet minister requires the signature of 10 parliamentarians. It also requires a majority to vote to pass the motion, meaning the vote of 43 parliamentarians.

The MDP parliamentary group’s emergency meeting to take the no-confidence vote against Ameen was attended by 58 parliamentarians. 27 parliamentarians voted that they lacked confidence in Ameen, which fell just three votes short of the 30 votes required to pass the motion.

Some of the parliamentarians had abstained from the vote, and the exact number of parliamentarians who voted in favor of keeping Ameen in the office of Health Minister remains unclear at this point.

MDP leader, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has stated that he intends to push for the no-confidence motion against Ameen, even if he has to go against the party whip-line. He made the remark in a heated debate on MDP parliamentary group’s Whatsapp group shortly before the vote.