Minister Maleeh gets into social media spat with MP Azim after no-confidence motion

Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group leader Ali Azim and Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Maleeh Jamaal have come to blows on social media, following the MDP PG groups initiation of a no-confidence motion against Maleeh in parliament on Wednesday.

MDP PG Group leader and Member of Parliament for the Henveiru-Central constituency Ali Azim confirmed initiating a no-confidence motion against Minister Maleeh in a tweet on Wednesday. The two came to blows following Minister Maleeh's rebuttal, which was also posted on the microblogging website Twitter in relation to Azim's tweet.

In initiating the no-confidence motion, The MDP parliamentary group had highlighted Maleeh's failure in preparing any of the regulations as entrusted to the Communications Authority of Maldives despite having been in office for two years. The MDP members of parliament went on to note that every day Maleeh spent in office without fulfilling his responsibilities as minister presented at great loss to the state and the people of Maldives, and that the minister had actively hindered progress in the communications sector while also being non-cooperative in performing his duties as minister.

In a tweet posted following the no-confidence motion against him, Minister Maleeh said that it was unlawful for action to be taken against him in relation to baseless claims. Maleeh went on to include nine drafts of regulations which were submitted for review to the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in December last year by the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology.

MP Azim quoted Maleeh's tweet directly in his response, stating that Maleeh was presenting false facts to the public. Azim noted that the regulations sent for review to the AGO by the Communications Ministry and Minister Maleeh had been forwarded only after the MDP PG group had initiated the motion of no-confidence agaisnt him.

Minister Maleeh, in his response, framed the attacks as ones brought on due to him not supporting a parliamentary system of governance on live TV, and said that he would be exercising his right to freedom of thought and expressions under even the most distressing circumstances of "being hung upside down on the floor of parliament."

MP Azim went on to reply to Minister Maleeh's comment under his tweet, asking if Maleeh was threatening him with, to which Maleeh responded by framing the MDP PG Group as undertaking baseless witch-hunts against cabinet ministers such as Minister Fayyaz, Minister Mahloof, Minister Imran and Minister Zaha in a bid to weaken the government.

MP for Galolhu-South constituency Mickail Naseem had previously submitted a motion of no-confidence against Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal to the MDP parliamentary group with 10 signatures. Following this, MDP's parliamentary group deferred the decision to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih after expressing their opinion in favor of no-confidence against Minister Maleeh on 22 November last year.

While the no-confidence motion against Minister Maleeh has been initiated in parliament, Spokesperson for the President's Office Mabrook Azeez revealed in a press on Wednesday that President Solih had yet to come to a conclusion on the issue of Maleeh's no-confidence.