Maldives president slams half-brother and former leader
He said that out of the seven people who worked with Maumoon to form PPM, he is the only one left still standing
President Abdulla Yameen at Sunday\'s ceremony
President Abdulla Yameen has heavily criticised his half-brother, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom over the ‘Maumoon Reform Movement’, which was begun by breakaway members of the ruling party..
President Yameen critized the former long-standing leader at a ruling party ceremony on Sunday night, where he received the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)'s ticket to run in September’s presidential elections.
During his speech, President Yameen said that 'days like these' remind him of when the party was first formed and the bitter experiences that followed. He said that out of the seven people who worked with Maumoon to form the party, he is the only one left still standing.
President Yameen also took credit for strengthening the party’s membership in the atolls.
He said that when PPM came into power, there had been a ‘super-super’ majority and that party members who had jumped ship should 'ask themselves why they did it'.
He said that PPM’s policies have not changed and therefore there is no sense in forming a reform movement under Maumoon’s name.
“There is nothing to reform after leaving the supermajority.”
President Yameen said that PPM’s policies remain the same, which is to bring development to the nation.
Maumoon, President Yameen’s older brother, has recently been sentenced to prison over an obstruction charge and is on trial over an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the government. He had ruled the nation for 30 years.
