“Abdul Raheem reports to work, appears very isolated”

It has been revealed that Speaker of the People's Majlis Abdul Raheem Abdulla, has been going to the office but appears very isolated.

RaajjeMV understands that Abdul Raheem started coming to the Majlis secretariat last week.

A source, speaking on the condition of anonymity reported that he appears very isolated and that there is “no sign of life” on his face.

Noting that this period is when the parliament is on recess and there won't be much activity, the source said that previously, even during recess periods when Abdul Raheem came to office, there were usually many members representing the People’s National Congress (PNC) who would visit him, including those who are commonly seen with him. However, this time he appears to be mostly alone, the source said.

Rumors have spread that the speaker has lost power and become isolated since his close relationship with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu soured.

While there is talk that the relationship between these two has soured, the speaker had previously stated that he had been planning and working to bring Muizzu to presidency for a long time.

The deterioration of Abdul Raheem and Muizzu's relationship became publicly apparent after the speaker’s son, Ibrahim Faisal, was dismissed from his position as Tourism Minister.

Since then, there have been rumors that he has been sidelined from the management activities of PNC; the party he founded and which is currently in power. It has also become common knowledge that the president has stopped seeking the speaker’s advice on matters.

Regarding Faisal's dismissal, in an interview with a local media outlet, the speaker revealed that Muizzu did not consult with him at all before removing his son from the position. He also said that if his relationship with Muizzu was good, this wouldn't have happened. The speaker also stated that there was no reason to dismiss Faisal.

According to a reliable source, President Muizzu has instructed Abdul Raheem through a senior PNC parliamentarian not to speak further to the media about the issue.

After spending a holiday in Malaysia and cutting his trip short, when Abdul Raheem returned to the capital, Malé City, he avoided the crowd of journalists who were waiting at Velana International Airport (VIA).

Since the interview he gave to a Maldivian news outlet from Malaysia on the day Faisal was dismissed, Abdul Raheem has not spoken to any media outlets. He also does not respond to phone calls or messages.