ACC summoning is 'harassment', says Faris Maumoon

MP Faris Maumoon has received a summoning notice to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

RaajjeMV understands that the notice asks Maumoon, the son of former longstanding President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, to present himself to the ACC on Tuesday.

Maumoon described this to be a ‘politically motivated’ form of harassment ahead of the vote on a no-confidence motion against Parliament Speaker Abdullah Maseeh, which he is spearheading.

The MP had previously said that other lawmakers backing the motion have faced pressure to cease support for Maseeh’s ousting. However, he has assured his personal unyielding commitment to it.

The commission’s press officer, Hassan Manik, said that the ACC will not release any information about ongoing cases, people summoned in relevance to such cases, or the summoning time.

Further, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Eva Abdulla had critisised the summoning as well, calling it shameless use to independent commissions to intimidate critics of the government.

The no-confidence motion was filed last Wednesday, with 26 signatures from lawmakers aligned with every political party and an independent member.

The six-point motion accuses Maseeh of ‘refusing to ensure’ equality in parliament, disregarding the rule of law, disrespecting the system of checks and balances, disregard for procedure, and ‘subverting’ democracy.

While former President Gayoom has expressed his strong support for the bill, describing at as ‘important move to the reform’, his son has said that the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives’ faction loyal to Gayoom has faced considerable restriction and ‘harassment’ from its rival faction – loyal to President Abdulla Yameen.