MDP opposed to postponing council elections?

Several parliamentarians from ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), on Tuesday, voiced opposition to a postponement of the nation-wide local council elections scheduled for April 4.

Maldives, amid the campaign for the local council elections, identified its first confirmed case of the deadly COVID-19 virus last week, leading to several political parties and independent candidates announcing the suspension of campaign events.

The number of positive cases has now risen to six, and along with it, demands for the postponement of the elections.

Several MDP parliamentarians, however, have expressed opposition to a postponement.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate on Addu Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam’s amendment to Local Council Elections on Tuesday morning, Kandhitheemu MP Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem said that he felt it to be in the best interest of Maldives to hold the council elections as scheduled.

“I don’t believe it to be in the best interest of Maldives or ourselves, to expose the administration of local islands to a legal vacuum,” said Shaheem.

Inguraidhoo MP Hassan Ahmed, too, said that the council elections must be held on April 4 as scheduled.

He said that a postponement would destabilize Maldives and impede development.

“Postponing the elections will result in the greatest of damage to the nation. I don’t believe it necessary to postpone the elections in light of the present status,” said Hassan.

He said that holding the elections as scheduled was crucial for the future stability and prosperity of Maldives.

Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan said that representatives of opposition parties on local councils were reluctant to cooperate with the government and were refusing to implement government decisions.

He said that it was therefore important to elect new members to local councils and women’s development committees.

He also stated that a postonement would lead to greater spread of the virus.

“Postponing the elections puts the whole nation at risk, it will be one reason for the further spread of this disease,” said Shiyan.

Tourism Minister Ali Waheed recently stated that the government planned on engaging in talks with political parties regarding postponing the elections.

Meanwhile, the Elections Commission (EC) has said that it, too, will engage in discussions to postpone the elections “if a situation requiring a postponement arose”.

While several MDP parliamentarians have expressed their opposition to postponing the elections, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday, urged the government to postpone the elections to protect the Maldivian population from the deadly virus.

The opposition coalition, made up of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) was the first to announce a suspension of campaign activities.

However, MDP has decided to continue with its campaign activities, and has introduced COVID-19 awareness programs to its campaign.