Nasheed requests exclusion of MP salary

Former Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, has requested to exclude his MP's remuneration on Monday.

Nasheed, who is the current Central-Machchangolhi MP recently shifted to Ghana, where he resides now.

The former parliament Speaker requested to discontinue his MP's salary effective for April until the remainder of the current session.

In his letter to current Speaker Mohamed Aslam sent on Sunday, Nasheed said he remains in Ghana to fulfill his full-time responsibility as the Secretary General of Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

Nasheed further said Ghanaian parliament passed the CVF Secretariat's resolution in February as part of the requirements necessary in finalizing the former Speaker's new role.

The former leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and a former head of state, Nasheed shifted to Ghana officially on January 30th.

Prior to his migration, Nasheed remained as the parliament's Speaker for the majority of the previous administration. He however, resigned after the then ruling MDP's parliamentarians submitted a no-confidence against him a second time, and announced his political retirement on December 12, 2023.

Though he moved to Ghana, Nasheed was facing criticism over his decision to take his MP's salary.

Earlier, the Parliament Secretariat said Nasheed failed to inform the authority of his decision to migrate. The secretariat further announced Nasheed did not formally request leave, and is subject to receive his three-month remuneration.

While Nasheed faced no-confidence motions around the last days of his tenure as Parliament Speaker, he allegedly made multiple attempts to intervene the then ruling party's efforts to dismiss him. He voluntarily resigned after the Supreme Court announced parliament's proceedings on a no-confidence motion cannot be intervened.

The former MDP leader began his political career in 1999 when he was elected as parliament MP. He founded MDP in 2005, and secured the first multi-party presidential win in 2008.