Maleeh: Did not submit falsified forms; will resolve administrative issues

Former science minister Maleeh Jamaal, who is leading efforts to form People’s National Front (PNF), the new political party being formed by former president Abdulla Yameen Adbul Gayyoom, states the party did not submit falsified forms, adding forms flagged for minor administrative issues will be resolved.

Elections Commission (EC), on Tuesday, said only 1,976 forms out submitted by PNF to register the party was valid.

EC’s Vice Chairperson Ismail Habeeb told Sun that 3,370 forms were submitted by the party in total; all of which the commission has now verified.

Habeeb detailed that EC has provided the opportunity to amend 1,313 forms while they rejected 81 forms.

As per Habeeb, the forms that were flagged contained minor administrative issues such as dates.

“Administrative issues such dates were there. When they are amended, these forms will be valid,” he said.

Maleeh told Sun that the party has not submitted any falsified forms.

“This party has not submitted any falsified forms. The forms flagged by EC were due to issues such as minor administrative issues. In this regard, for stating 2023, instead of 2024,” he said.

Maleeh said the flagged forms will be amended accordingly, for which efforts are already underway, He added that the forms will be resubmitted to EC after amendment.

Internal conflicts boiled over a week into PPM-PNC coalition’s administration prompting former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom, who had been serving as the leader of the coalition and the leader of PPM, to resign. He immediately commenced efforts to form a new political party, PNF.

EC gave the go-ahead to begin works to form PNF on November 29^th. 

Maleeh, on that day, said the party would file for resignation with the required number of membership forms within the next 24 hours. 

Later in December, he reported that they had exceeded in securing the 3,000 membership forms required to file for registration, however, were delaying filing for registration till Yameen, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in home confinement.

He was transferred from Maafushi Prison to his home in Male’ City on October 1st, the day after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu – the candidate championed by the PPM-PNC coalition – won the presidential election.

While Corrections later eased the terms of his home confinement, to allow him to leave the house for exercise and other such purposes, the law prohibits convicts from active involvement in political activities. Nevertheless, he has been captured attending various events of PNF. He has strongly criticized President Muizzu and his adminstration at these events.