Falah: Parliament ‘more than generous’ with committee allocation; MDP just ungrateful

Ruling People's National Congress (PNC) Parliamentary Group Leader and Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Fala, on Wednesday, stated that while the party had been “generous” in allocating parliamentary committee seats to the main opposition, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), MDP has failed to recognize or appreciate this generosity.

During Wednesday’s sitting of Parliament, MDP lawmakers staged a protest as the Chairperson of the State-Owned Enterprises Committee and South Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi (IB) was presenting the Committee’s report on the appointment of Mohamed Nizar as President of the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB).

Following the disruption, nine MDP parliamentarians, including the party’s Parliamentary Group Leader and South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil, were named and ordered to leave the chamber. Subsequently, the remainder of the sitting proceeded without their participation.

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament building later in the day, MDP Parliamentary Group Spokesperson and Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir said that although two weeks had passed since North Hithadhoo MP Abdulla Sodiq (Sobe) was sworn in, he had yet to be assigned to a parliamentary committee.

"When we expressed our concerns regarding this matter, the PNC Parliamentary Group Leader addressed us disrespectfully, suggesting we should be content with whatever committee slots they choose to give. Our protest over this treatment led to our removal from the floor today," Mauroof stated.

Responding to the comments in a social media post late Wednesday night, Falah maintained that, given the current composition of the Parliament, the PNC had been more accommodating in committee allocations than required under parliament’s regulations.

"However, the MDP is ungrateful for any good thing that has been done for them. Instead of attempting to exert undue influence, the MDP must learn to operate within the boundaries of the law and established regulations," Falah wrote.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Nazil said PNC members had informed the opposition that an appropriate committee assignment for Sodiq would be determined only after assessing his performance in Parliament. He added that he had met with Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla and Secretary General Fathimath Niusha regarding the matter.

"It has now been two weeks up until today [yesterday, and the North Hithadhoo MP remains without a committee assignment. The core work of this Parliament takes place within committees. Without being able to participate in that process, he is forced to simply attend the morning sessions and return home once they adjourn at 11:00am," Nazil detailed.

Nazil further alleged that the PNC intends to assign Sadiq to committees with comparatively limited responsibilities, such as the Petitions Committee or the Committee on Member's Privileges and Ethics.

He stressed that, as the minority party in Parliament, the MDP requires such opportunities and argued that the PNC would face no disadvantage by allocating additional committee seats to the opposition.