Committee to look into allegations by Tech. Minister Maleeh

Alleged baseless statements by Minister of Science, Communication and Technology Maleeh Jamaal regarding parliamentarians in today’s parliamentary sitting would be sent to the parliament’s Ethics Committee for review, Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has announced. 

Nasheed also said that if the allegations were proven right, the case would be sent for charges against Maleeh.

Minister Maleeh, responding to a motion of no confidence against him by MDP, said that some MPs had threatened former Gender Minister Shidhaatha Shareef and forced her to resign. 

“We can clearly see that the parliament is blatantly threatening Ministers and government. Shidhaatha was threatened, Few MPs are threatening Ministers. Shidhaatha was threatened to…” said Maleeh before being interrupted by a point of order by West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef. 

MP Latheef said that if Ministers belonging to a government of MDP were being threatened, details were very much required. Speaker Nasheed also requested to clarify the matter. 

Minister Maleeh continued, “We can see that many ministers are being threatened and obstructed from doing their duties. Details of this are seen in the forced resignation of Shidhaatha.”

This statement prompted Nasheed to clarify where this was exhibited. However, Maleeh responded that he was not provided enough time to go into details of the allegations and would cooperate if a separate investigation was conducted into it.

Nasheed then stated that the parliament’s Ethics Committee would look into whether Maleeh had made false statements as a Minister. If proven, Nasheed said that the matter would be forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office. Maleeh also agreed with the move.