No-confidence motion against Home Minister fails

The no-confidence motion submitted by opposition parliamentarians against Home Minister Imran Abdulla has failed on Monday, with the ruling MDP, which enjoys a supermajority at the Parliament, having already taken an internal vote to decide they will not support the motion.

The no-confidence motion was submitted with the signatures of 11 parliamentarians; nine opposition parliamentarians and two independent parliamentarians.

The motion was put to vote on Monday afternoon.

The motion failed, with 11 parliamentarians in favor of the motion, and 53 against.

The opposition submitted the no-confidence motion following remarks by Imran during a radio show in October, trivializing the sexual assault of a woman that took place on a safari boat off suburban Hulhumale’ in June, as well as the allegation he provided false information to the Parliament.

Imran, during the opportunity provided at the Parliament earlier this Monday to respond to the motion, portrayed it as an attempt to pressure him to release former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who is serving time in prison for money laundering.

“I will not bow down to such political pressure and orchestrate the release of someone in prison,” he said.

“This motion against me, signed by 11 parliamentarians, is linked with my role in the Maldivian political arena over these last years to establish good governance the people want.”