MP Rozaina expelled from Parliament session

Addu Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam has been expelled from the Parliament session.

MP Rozaina was advised by the Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed twice before her name was eventually announced and she was expelled from the session.

MP Rozaina was advised by the Speaker against speaking loudly and standing up in the Parliament out of turn when the MP for Dhaandhoo Yaugoob Abdulla was speaking. The Addu Meedhoo MP was voicing her concern regarding why she was not allowed to make a point of order with the Speaker when the opposition PPM’s deputy leader and Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam was speaking.

In addition to MP Rozaina, her husband and Kinbidhoo MP Ahmed Nashiz also requested for a point of order but were both turned down by the Speaker. Speaker Nasheed stated that accepting a request for a point of order was in the hands of the Speaker and should only be exercised when the order of the Parliament was lost.

Speaker Nasheed also stated that since the discussion regarding the state budget was underway, opposition MPs should also be allowed to speak on the matter.

“This Parliament must be run in a manner similar to those of developed countries…When the governing party presents a budget to the Parliament, the opposition parties must be allowed to speak about the budget.” said the Speaker.

This is the first time that the Speaker has expelled a member of the governing MDP from the Parliament and the first time an MDP MP was expelled from a session of the 19th Parliament.