MP Shareef: Political influence will reach all institutions

Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef (Mavota Shareef) said on Tuesday that it was the undeniable truth that no institution was free from political influence.

The MDP parliamentarian made the comment while taking part in the debate on the constitutional amendment submitted by Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed Toriq (Tom) to bar politicians from Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday morning.

Shareef said that political influence on institutions depended on the thinking of the people appointed to the institution.

“Institutions that are free of political influence and are independent depend on the thinking of the members of this Parliament, the thinking of the people who appoint them, and how everything is implemented,” he said.

Shareef said that if people were appointed by institutions itself, there would be political influence, if that was the intention.

He said that it must be accepted that political influence would reach all institutions.

 “So the truth we must accept is that, if we think deep, political influence will reach all institutions. The people’s influence will reach this Parliament. There is influence in situations where the support of the majority of the people is required,” he said.

Shareef said that there would not be any political influence if political appointees stopped exerting influence.

Many MDP parliamentarians spoke against barring politicians from JSC.