Not even a single member from the ruling party is willing to engage in a debate on bills; they are simply passing legislation exactly as proposed by government: Ziyad

Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad has stated that with the government holding a parliamentary majority, the entire legislative system is under its full control, leading to the arbitrary passage of bills without consulting relevant stakeholders.

Speaking at a press conference held by the MDP Parliamentary Group, MP Hussain Ziyad stated that the current session of Parliament has been marked by extraordinary and unprecedented developments.

Ziyad stated that although President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had pledged to conduct research and seek expert advice before making government decisions, this has not been reflected in the administration's actual practices.

He noted that while the Parliament previously engaged in extensive consultations and sought input from relevant stakeholders during the committee stage of bill reviews, such opportunities have now been lost.

Ziyad highlighted that despite the government holding a supermajority in Parliament, the ruling party has failed to produce even a single member willing to engage in debate on bills. He further noted that the government is pushing through legislation according to its own agenda, without conducting any academic research or considering public opinion.

In the past, when the Parliament passed government-proposed bills, relevant stakeholders were consulted and their input was sought during the committee stage. However, today we see a different reality; despite the government holding a supermajority, there is a noticeable absence of members even willing to engage in debate on these bills.

Hussain Ziyad

As an example, Ziyad cited the Land Transport Bill. He noted that after the bill had remained in Parliament for a year, an entirely new chapter was abruptly added and passed without any prior consultation. Ziyad stated that this serves as evidence of the government’s total control over Parliament.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) stated that it has shared its concerns regarding the conduct of parliamentary proceedings with the Speaker of the Parliament. However, the party noted with regret that the discussions held by the MDP Parliamentary Group have yet to yield any satisfactory resolution.