Gayoom concerned over remarks by Shifag and Arif

President of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has sent an SMS to PPM Council Members, expressing concern over the remarks by Fuvahmulah-Medhu MP Shifag Mufeed and Vaikaradhoo MP Ali Arif whereby they criticised the present government.

PPM Council Member, Umar Naseer’s Campaign Manager Ahmed Saleem (Maaz Saleem) said that the SMS was sent last Tuesday.

Saleem said that in the SMS, Gayoom had expressed discontent over the remarks and said that the government believes that he is behind those criticisms.

He said that the party’s Council had also decided against criticising the present government.

He expressed concern over the fact that the party chose to investigate the two members who revealed the fraudulent activities that went on during the Primary, and not the two members who criticised the present government.

“It is worrying, that they do not investigate Shifag Mufeed and Ali Arif following their remarks in the parliament which were against a decision by the Council, but choose to investigate Umar Naseer and Ibrahim Nazim. This shows that there is no justice within PPM. I am very surprised by this,” he said.

PPM’s Ethics Committee has accused Umar Naseer and Ibrahim Nazim of making baseless accusations regarding the recent Primary. The matter is currently under investigation by the committee.

Saleem said that it seems as though the Ethics Committee was formed to probe the actions of only some people, and that the purpose of breaking from Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to form PPM is now unclear.