Saleem: MDP made opposition 'mental' after getting parliament majority, PNC will not

Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem (Red Wave Saleem), remarking MDP had made the opposition “mental” after getting majority in the parliament, has affirmed ruling PNC will not follow this path.

Debating on the Mental Health Bill at Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting, Saleem, remarking how governments are run cause the public to become mental, strongly criticized former administrations. Although things have unfolded in this manner in the past, Saleem assured that the current administration, with the parliament supermajority, will work for the benefit of the people.

“In reality, mental health problems are mainly caused by how governments are run,” he stressed.

“These issues (mental health issues) are mostly a result of changes in people’s thinking and their vulnerability and the circumstances they face in these situations caused by how governments are run,” he detailed.

Saleem said every administration, in reality, must work to better the vulnerable state of the people. He cited this as the responsibility of every administration.

On the contrary, he said the nation has previously witnessed situations escalate from bad to worse after governments assume power. He went onto accuse members elected to the parliament in the past of working to gain advantages for their personal businesses.

“Have witnessed the individuals elected to this honorable parliament incept 20, 30 companies and work to gain undue advantages,” Saleem, who is the owner of Red Wave, a renowned local retail chain said.

Saleem accused MDP’s administration which got the majority in the 19^th parliamentary assembly of posing various mental challenges to the opposition. In this trajectory, he said the opposition had been obstructed from speaking at the parliament.

“Because we are strong, we have overcome these mental challenges and arrived at this point,” he added.

“We, with this majority, will not work on making anyone vulnerable or weakening them mentally. We will be working towards a healthy environment in the parliament while respecting the minority and pleasing them,” he said.

He said MDP’s majority, in the ongoing 19^th parliamentary assembly, had acted in total contradiction of these views.

On this note, he accused the party of trying to “harass” President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and weaken his mental strength. Saleem cited these as reasons why the party had faced defeat in Sunday’s parliamentary election.

“All obstructions and difficulties that could be posed and the efforts to weaken the President, mentally, had been shameful acts. We have to remember that power is not something anyone can hold onto forever,” he said.

Saleem noted that the new administration faced various difficulties as MDP held the party’s majority when they assumed office.

Some of the obstructions and difficulties he detailed in this regard included withholding approval to some cabinet ministers and threats by some MDP lawmakers to impeach the President.

Over 200,000 Maldivians voted in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday, in which 326 candidates contested for 93 seats in the next parliamentary assembly, including six new seats.

The preliminary results show that PNC secured 66 seats, accounting for more than two-thirds of the parliament.

Meanwhile, MDP suffered a heavy defeat, winning just 12 seats. Long-serving lawmakers representing the party had failed to defend their seats in the election.

The newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in on May 28^th.