Will change EC membership before elections: MP Imthiyaz

The opposition coalition parties will head to the presidential elections on September after changing the Elections Commission (EC) membership, says North-Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, the spokesperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

MP Fahmy said this on RaajjeTV’s Fala Surukhee programme on Saturday night.

Speaking on the programme, MP Fahmy also highlighted the complaints of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) receiving ID cards and other personal information of citizens and said that his party, MDP, will gain the support of citizens by meeting with them, and that the opposition coalition’s door-to-door campaigns have been extremely popular.

“However, what happens with the government is that when they go to houses that PPM hasn’t selected, they get shooed off. There are videos showing that. The residents tell them not to come to their houses and send them away. And so that can’t go to citizens to get their information. Therefore, some institutions provide them with the information.”

Regarding observing the elections, he said that the government knows that it will not be able to get the result they want if international organizations such as the European Union observe the elections and that therefore they are bringing in observers from countries that have never even held an election.

“We will work to hold the elections on the set date. We will also work to make it as free and fair as possible. God willing, we will go to the elections after changing the Elections Commission.”