Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem calls to suspend the government's opposition; MDP, JP, and AP

MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla, one of the government's strongest supporters in parliament, has called on the Elections Commission to suspend the the of the allied opposition parties.

MP Abdul Raheem, also the deputy leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives' faction loyal to the government, accused the Maldivian Democratic Party, the Jumhoooree Party, and the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party of various crimes and being responsible for the ongoing political conflict in the Maldives.

Raheem said, referring to the opposition's nightly call for President Abdulla Yameen's resignation and independence of the judiciary, that supporters of the parties are guilty of 'confronting law enforcement officers, vandalism, and arson'.

"I'm telling you, as a person who loves this country and a son of this nation, that they are not working for the betterment and progress of this nation" he further said.

While the Elections Commission is the statutory body that regulates political parties in the country, the parliamentarian spoke in a manner suggesting his belief in the commission's authority to amend the Political Parties Act, a law passed by the parliament.

MP Raheem further stressed on the importance of having a legal means to suspend said three parties, who make up the entirety of the opposition, excluding the ruling party's faction loyal to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The parliamentarian is known for his bold and impassioned stance against the opposition and their leaders, notably former President Mohamed Nasheed. He also once used disparaging terms with misogynist undertones to speak at length about women lawmakers aligned with the opposition, during a conference broadcast live by Channel 13 and the state-run PSM.