Central-Henveiru constituency MP Ali Azim has stated that parliament speaker Abdullah Maseeh is motivated purely to maintain his position.

He made the statement speaking in RaajjeTV’s “Fala Suruhee” program on Wednesday night.

Azim said that Maseeh wielded no real power, only serving as a puppet, accountable and responsible to someone else. Therefore, he said that Maseeh was unable to fulfill his duties as speaker.

“Own self-interest is more important, over public, over nation. [His] position is more important. The vehicles, bodyguards, his position is more valuable to him. Even over the constituents’ vote. It does not matter if they [public] suffers, it does not matter. So long as his position is secure. We’re seeing that now. I feel that the Parliament Speaker values his position more than anything else,” Azim said.

Azim said that the parliament should defend public rights, prioritizing public interest over every other aspect. He said that members of the parliament were the group that will hold the Government accountable to the public.

Azim noted that there will always be differences of opinion between the MPs and the Government, adding that MPs are enablers of public.