MDP Withholds Approval for Four Cabinet Members

The main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has opted to withhold parliamentary approval for four members of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet, ahead of a vote scheduled in the Parliament.

The Ministers affected by this decision are Ahmed Usham, the Attorney General; Mohamed Saeed, the Economic Minister; Dr. Ali Haidar, the Housing Minister; and Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, the Islamic Minister.

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The parliamentary vote on the 22-member new cabinet is slated for 1:00 pm today. However, prior to the vote, MDP lawmakers, who hold a majority in the Parliament, convened for a parliamentary group meeting to deliberate on their course of action.

According to a source within the parliamentary group, a three-line red whip was passed during the meeting, signalling the party’s decision to withhold approval for four cabinet ministers, including the attorney general. 

In a parallel development, The Democrats, who recently formed an alliance with MDP, have chosen not to approve three of the ministers. However, instead of Shaheem, they have opted to withhold support for Moosa Zameer, the Foreign Minister.

Reacting to MDP’s decision, Attorney General Usham labelled it as a personal vendetta.

With a combined representation of 56 out of 87 MPs in Parliament, comprising 43 from MDP and 13 from the Democrats, the likelihood of approval for the blacklisted ministers appears slim.

The Parliament’s Government Oversight Committee had previously greenlit the cabinet in December, affirming that all members met the constitutional requirements.

Earlier today, the ruling coalition, composed of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC), issued a statement expressing concern over the denial of approval to cabinet ministers, viewing it as a deliberate attempt to hinder government operations and disrupt public services.

Muizzu formally requested approval for his Cabinet on November 20, two days after assuming office. The Parliament had initially scheduled a vote on the Cabinet for December 18, but the committee report was subsequently sent back for review. The committee reconvened during the recess on December 30, ultimately granting approval to the cabinet.