Spokesperson of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Galolhu-South MP Ahmed Mahloof has said that if Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid is unable, PPM can hand over Henveyru-South MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor, who has sought refuge in the parliament premises, to the police.

Mahloof made this remark while speaking at a rally held by PPM last night entitled Nimmaifin (We have decided).

He said that an MP who has been sentenced to six months in prison should not be allowed to hide in the parliament, and should by now be in prison as per the court ruling.

“Our patience has its limits. It’s very easy for us, to wear a tie and sit there and pretend that all the fighting that takes place doesn’t actually happen, and then go home. But because the people will ask about this someday, I have to do things that I don’t want to do. If Abdulla Shahid can’t hand over Hamid to the police or the military, we can carry Hamid to hand him over to the police,” he said.

He said that the events taking place at the parliament is a clear example of what will happen to the country if Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) returns to power.

“We see persons who should be in prison, sitting at the parliament. We see efforts to build a 100-men strong army, and though they are unarmed, the purpose of these efforts is to include MPs in parliament sittings even after the Supreme Court rules that they have lost their parliament seats,” he said.

He said that the country will end up in a critical situation if MDP comes to power, and that the activities carried out by Male’ City Council, in which MDP holds majority, is an example of the situation the country will end up in. He said that Male’ City Council has failed to provide several public services.

Mahloof said that for members of MDP, their party is more important than their religion and the independence of their country.

“We saw them laughing and clapping hands when Reeko Moosa Manik told people they shouldn’t follow prayers led by members of Adhaalath Party or Sheikhs. This resulted in people leaving prayer congregations after they began. By doing this, they are saying that MDP is more important than Islam. And following election delays, when Dr Shaheed called on Indian military to take over Maldives, we saw them cheering and clapping. What they’re saying is that their party is more important than the independence of their country,” he said.