Pres. instructs Abdul Raheem to halt all media interactions
Abdul Raheem described Faisal's dismissal as a "very unfortunate" action by the President
Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Speaker of parliament
It has been confirmed that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has personally directed Speaker of the People's Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla to cease all further interactions with the media.
It has also been reported that the president conveyed this message to Abdul Raheem on Tuesday through a senior council member of the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) via phone while Abdul Raheem was in Malaysia.
Muizzu reportedly told Abdul Raheem that the interview he gave following the dismissal of his son, Ibrahim Faisal, from the position of Minister of Tourism on Tuesday had caused significant "damage" to the party and the government, and instructed him not to speak further to the media on this matter.
It is also reported that Abdul Raheem was told that if he continues to speak to the media about this issue, a no-confidence motion would be submitted against him.
Attempts by RaajjeMV to obtain a comment from Abdul Raheem on this matter were to no avail as he failed to answer the station’s calls.
In addition to this, attempts by journalists from this newspaper to question him at Velana International Airport (VIA) on Tuesday night when he returned to the Maldives were also unsuccessful.
Although many local media outlets were present at VIA to meet Abdul Raheem upon his scheduled arrival, he managed to leave the airport for Malé, evading journalists.
According to a journalist from RaajjeTV who was at the airport, they only realized Abdul Raheem had arrived when the vehicles that came to receive him entered the apron to pick him up, and sped off.
Ibrahim Faisal, Abdul Raheem's son who held the position of Minister of Tourism in President Muizzu's cabinet, was suddenly dismissed by the president on Tuesday.
In response to this, Abdul Raheem, speaking from Malaysia in a phone interview with 'Dhauru' news, stated that there was no reason to dismiss Faisal and that if his relationship with the president was good, the president would not have taken such a step.
Abdul Raheem also described Faisal's dismissal as a "very unfortunate" action by the President.
