PNC denies claim party lawmakers receive MVR 50,000 from Muliaage

The People’s National Congress (PNC) has denied a claim made by a top official from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) that ruling party’s parliamentarians are paid MVR 50,000 monthly by Muliaage to “control” them.

In an interview to private TV channel, RaajjeTV on Wednesday, MDP’s chairperson, Fayyaz Ismail said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration believes the Parliament should be under his total control. He alleged that Muliaage – the official residence of the president – pays PNC parliamentarians MVR 50,000 on a monthly basis.

In a post on X on Sunday afternoon, Heena Waleed, the PNC’s spokesperson, denied the claim.

“The claim made by MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz Ismail that PNC parliamentarians are paid MVR 50,000 monthly by Muliaage is a complete lie,” she said.

ޕީއެންސީގެ މަޖިލިސް މެމްބަރުންނަށް މުލިއާގެއިން މަހަކު 50،000ރ. ދޭކަމަށް އެމްޑީޕީގެ ޗެއާޕާސަން ފައްޔާޒް އިސްމާޢީލް ދެއްކެވި ވާހަކައަކީ ކަނޑައެޅިގެން ބުހުތާނު ދޮގެއް.

— Heena Waleed (@MvSpokesperson) June 30, 2024

In his TV interview, Fayyaz expressed concern that it had been President Muizzu who handpicked the new speaker and deputy speaker to the Parliament – which the PNC holds a supermajority in.

“This should not be happening in a democracy, where the three powers of the state are separate,” he said, adding that he found it “shameful.”

Fayyaz said that parliamentarians should be allowed the freedom to speak their minds, for as long as they don’t violate whip-lines.

“I hear that each parliamentarian receives MVR 50,000 from Muliaage. But there’s no need for them to complain about lack of freedom to speak when they have entrapped themselves in this,” he said.

The PNC hold a supermajority in the new parliamentary assembly with 75 out of 93 seats. This includes 67 seats it won in the elections and the seats of the eight independents who joined the party in the weeks after.

Meanwhile, MDP, which held a huge majority in the last parliamentary assembly, suffered a heavy blow in the April elections, winning just 12 seats. It was its worst performance at a parliamentary elections.