I will never betray the faith bestowed upon me by the members: Maumoon

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said electing him as the president of the party reflects a great faith put in him by the party members and that he will never betray that faith.

Speaking at artificial breach at the first rally held by the party after its recent congress, Maumoon said that he will continue working for the party to the best of his ability and that he stood for the election for the post of party president with the resolve to serve the party to the extent that his age and health allows.

“God willing, I am never the person to betray the faith bestowed on me. Or to betray a privilege I have been granted. God willing, I will continue to serve PPM and to the best of my ability,” said Maumoon.

Speaking about the unity of PPM, Maumoon said that PPM is a mountain and that some groups are aiming poisonous arrows of criticism at this mountain and that the arrows will not penetrate it. He said that PPM will endure whatever their opponents say and that they will always be united.

Aiming his remarks towards their harshest critic Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Maumoon said that he does not accept the policies of MDP and that PPM will not support any of their actions. He said however, that since MDP carries out political activities, they should be recognized as a political party.

Maumoon had also answered some of the criticism aimed at him for being elected to the post of president without vote or competition.

He said that some media sources had tried to smear the truth by saying that he was elected party president “automatically” because he did not have to face a vote.He said that having been elected party president because no other person stood up to compete with him for the post is part of exemplary democratic process and principle.

“When I was elected to this post, I heard some people say that I was elected automatically. I looked at our basic regulations. It did not have the word “automatic”. I looked at out Constitution. It did not have the word automatic either. I referred to the principles of Islam. It too, did not have the word automatic. Then I wondered why this word “automatic” arose. It means that being elected party president because no one else competed for the post, is automatic. But I would say that it is a misunderstanding, or a deliberate misinterpretation,” said Maumoon.