Parliament must be clean to implement financial law, says MP Jabir

Kaashidhoo MP and current chair of the Parliament Public Accounts Committee Abdull Jabir has said the parliament must be clean to implement the financial law in the Maldives.

Deliberating a case involving an alleged MVR 19.3 million in debt owed to State Trading Organization (STO) by the Meridian Services owned by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed, MP Jabir said the committee will declare a MP disqualified from parliament, if proven of deception.

“We will first investigate such cases involving Members of the Parliament. Parliament must be clean to implement financial law in the Maldives,” MP Jabir said.

Starting the committee meeting on Wednesday, MP Jabir advised all members to keep in mind that the committee is not probing MP Riyaz Rasheed in investigating the Meridian Services case, and thus, to refrain from making personal remarks in looking into case.

However, the committee meetings soon turned into a quarrel between MP Jabir and MP Riyaz Rasheed, both voicing profanities and accusing each other of theft.

MP Jabir said he will "not sit down" until MP Riyaz Rasheed is disqualified from parliament. “I will not sit down before I make sure your seat is empty,” MP Jabir said.

MP Riyaz Rasheed retorted back by saying MP Jabir is “a man hiding to not provide urine” to the authorities, in reference to MP Jabir’s pending court case following his arrest from Haa Dhaalu Hondaidhoo in November last year.

The Parliament Public Accounts Committee meeting ended in a ruckus on Wednesday.