I do not worship money: Histo

Fuvahmulah Medhu MP Shifag Mufeed (Histo) has said that he was not bribed to join Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), and that he is dismayed that such people exist in Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Histo left MDP and signed for PPM last night.

“I do not worship money,” he said.

Speaking at the function held in Fuvahmulah last night, Shifag gave reasons for why he left MDP. He said that the people Nasheed appointed to his government, after assuming the post of President on 11 November 2009, began challenging and cursing the public. The result was the public protesting against Nasheed, and the protest on 23 December was the beginning of this series of protests:

“Now we are in power, we will rule as we want – this is what my party (MDP) members started saying. They started saying that they will give jobs only to those they wanted to, that there were no opportunities in this country for anyone other than those who joined their party. They said that flats and other things will be given first to members of their party. The result was the whole country detesting us.”

Histo said that he had to ‘beg’ MDP for several things to fulfill the promises he made to the people of Fuvahmulah when he contested for the parliament seat on MDP ticket. He noted that most promises were still unfulfilled, and implied that his purpose of joining PPM was to deliver those promises.

He also said that he began criticizing MDP not after the government changed, but two years ago. At the Parliament, he had called for the resignation of former Health Minister Aminath Jameel when the health sector began showing signs of failure.

He referred to his statement, “I would not change to another party unless my father who died when I was four years old tells me to do so”, and said that it was a metaphorical reference:

“It’s like the statement made by President Nasheed recently, ‘I will go to hell and back’ – he did not mean that he will go to hell to fetch democracy.”

Speaking at the function which was attended by PPM Interim President and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, PPM Parliamentary Group (PG) Leader Abdullah Yameen and other PPM PG leaders, Histo said that as a member of MDP, he served the people of Fuvahmulah; and as a member of PPM also he shall serve the people of Fuvahmulah.

After the Parliament session to grant approval for the Vice President and cabinet members of President Waheed, which Histo attended and fully participated in, Histo told Sun in an interview that he will not join another party. He said back then that his purpose of criticizing MDP is to improve the situation within the party, and that it was not an excuse to join another party.