JP instructs its MP to withdraw Bill designed to bar ex-presidents from Parliament

Jumhoory Party (JP)’s parliamentary group leader, MP Abdulla Riyaz has announced the Bill – designed to bar former Maldivian presidents from running for Parliament - submitted by one of JP’s lawmakers, Dhidhoo MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed was initiated without consultation with the parliamentary group, and has instructed him to withdraw the Bill.

In a tweet this Tuesday, Kinbidhoo MP Riyaz noted the Bill directly infringed on a fundamental right of one of the government coalition leaders – former Maldivian President and Leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed – who has already announced his intention of running for the Parliament.

Riyaz said that he has therefore instructed Latheef to withdraw the Bill.

In an interview to ‘Sun’ last Monday night, Latheef said he intended on submitting the Bill to bar former presidents from running for the Parliament this Tuesday morning.

Latheef said that he made the decision to submit the Bill because the State already spent generously on former presidents, and because he felt a former president assuming a lower public service post was unseemly.

While Nasheed has already announced his candidacy and his campaigning for the elections, former President and Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has neither confirmed nor denied any intention of running for the Parliament, only commenting that he would make his decision “when the time comes”.