Our purpose in this coalition is not to work for the President

Presidential candidate for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Abdulla Yameen has said that PPM’s purpose of being in the current coalition government is not to work for the benefit of President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik for the approaching presidential elections.

Speaking at TVM’s Raajje Miadhu program last night, Yameen stressed that the government must be criticized when criticism is due and that PPM will continue to criticize if the government is not on the right course.

However, he said that PPM’s loyalty to maintaining the government was apparent by the party’s stands when the government had faced grave challenges, dangers that challenged their existence. PPM is the party that maintains the current coalition government he said, and that their purpose is to work for the benefit of the people.

“As for maintaining the government, consider the way PPM has behaved in parliament when the government faced real threats to its existence. But if the government is working against the interests of the people, if they’re acting against the law, it is PPM’s responsibility to criticize and get them back on the right track. The purpose of PPM in this coalition is not to work for President Waheed’s presidential election. Our purpose is to make sure that things are done for the benefit of the people,” Yameen said.

Referring to the coalition formed recently between Dr. Waheed’s Gaumee Ithihad, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Gaumee Party and Adhaalath Party, Yameen said that he does not view the coalition as a particularly large alliance. He said that the proof lies in the number of elections they have won in the past and that they keep talking about a wide coalition because they “lack the fuel” to win the presidential election.

During last night’s show, Yameen also revealed the conditions proposed by Adhaalath Party for a coalition with PPM. He said that Adhaalath had asked him what their share would be in the government if they were to win the presidential elections along with a running mate representing Adhaalath. He said that they had also asked him of their share if they were to win the election without an Adhaalath running mate at Yameen’s side. He said that the party had neglected to acknowledge the discussion when prompted to provide their proposals in writing.

“One of their propositions was that, if I choose a running mate that they prefer from within themselves, of what they’re share in would be in the government. Then, if PPM could not accept their running mate, then what they’re share would be in the government. They said they would provide these two propositions to me. We did not receive any of the two propositions,” Yameen said.

Yameen repeated that the opportunity to join PPM in a coalition is still open for other parties. He confidently stated that his party will win the Presidential election during the first round of voting.

Yameen said that PPM’s manifesto would include special policies on the youth, education, and health care. He sees no need to rush he said, and vowed that PPM’s manifesto will not include any promises that a PPM government could not keep. Their manifesto will be based on achievable policies, Yameen said.