We need leadership reform not an early election - MDP MP Shifaq

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Shifaq Mufeed (Histo) has said that the party needs a leadership reform and not an early election. MP Shifaq was the only MDP MP who participated in Wednesday's Peoples’ Majlis debate and vote on nominations for VP and cabinet posts by President Waheed.

Speaking to media yesterday, Shifaq said that he had participated in the Majlis session and vote because his party MDP was not consistent in its policy position on the Waheed Government. He said that, if, as MDP Supremo Nasheed alleges, President Waheed came to power in a coup, then MDP should lend support to the Majlis inquiry into the matter requested by MDP Vice President MP Alhan Fahmy.

However, he noted that, instead, MDP was actively obstructing the parliamentary inquiry into the transfer of power, and its leadership was accusing MDP President Dr. Ibrahim Didi, VP Alhan Fahmy and himself of trying to create friction in the party. Shifaq said that he fully supported Alhan Fahmy's motion to parliament to investigate Nasheed's allegations.

In the meantime, he said that instead of blindly following a blind leadership, MDP should begin internal reforms to strengthen itself for the next presidential elections. Echoing VP Alhan Fahmy's public statements on the issue, Shifaq said that party reform should take priority, not the selection of a presidential candidate. Shifaq strongly criticized the interim Chairperson MP Reeko Moosa Maniku, saying that Maniku's hardline stands and brute force approach was the reason for MDP's declining popularity amongst the public.

In similar terms, MDP MP Mohamed Nasheed (Colonel) again called for MDP internal reform, while speaking at parliament earlier this week.