MP AHmed Nihan

‘Bully’ India silent on refusing entry to Maldives ruling party MP

Relations between the two countries have come under strain in recent years, mostly over China’s influence in the Maldives but also over a controversial 45-day state of emergency.

Government moves to slash oil tariff

The parliament has approved government-sponsored legislation for reducing the import duty for petroleum products from 10 to five percent.

Council elections outcome ‘satisfactory’ for ruling party

The ruling coalition has described the outcome of Saturday’s local council election as “a satisfactory victory” despite heavy losses in the capital and other populous islands.

MDP launches campaign, PPM introduces candidates for Malé city

The opposition MDP officially launched its local council election campaign with simultaneous rallies in the north and south on Thursday night as the ruling party introduced its candidates for the Malé city council.

Gayoom’s son cannot represent PPM, insists majority leader

After a meeting between the PPM parliamentary group and President Abdulla Yameen, Majority Leader Nihan criticised PPM leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s decision to appoint his son to represent the ruling party in the upcoming all-party talks, insisting that Faris Maumoon is no longer a PPM member.

PPM MP threatens to sue Al-Jazeera over corruption expose

A ruling party MP threatened to sue al-Jazeera last night over an upcoming documentary about alleged corruption and abuse of power by President Abdulla Yameen that has put the government on the defensive.

Press freedom concerns unaddressed in revised defamation bill

A revised bill on criminalising defamation and imposing severe restrictions on free speech was introduced to parliament last Tuesday without addressing concerns raised by Maldivian journalists.

Gayoom vindicated by Yameen faction walkout, says PPM

An emergency meeting of the ruling party’s council Tuesday night showed that some members are opposed to the reform agenda launched by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Progressive Party of Maldives has said.

Opposition MPs withdraw no-confidence motion against speaker

Opposition MPs have withdrawn a no-confidence motion submitted against Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, two days before the motion was up for debate at the People’s Majlis.

Maldives moves ahead with criminalising defamation

Missing weapons from state armoury ‘a national security failure’

President Abdulla Yameen as the commander-in-chief must bear full responsibility for weapons that went missing from the state armoury, the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said. The military has acknowledged that a rifle and a submachine gun found in a weapons cache discovered on Friday in the lagoon of an uninhabited island in Baa atoll were from its armoury.

Vice president’s post ‘unsuited’ to Maldives

The Maldives’ recent history has shown that the post of the vice president is unsuited to the country, ruling party MP Ahmed Nihan has said, suggesting that political turmoil arising from the vice president’s ambition needs to be addressed through constitutional amendments.

PPM MPs slam Commonwealth ‘bullying’ as opposition MPs warn against isolation

President Abdulla Yameen had sought parliament’s counsel on the country’s membership of the Commonwealth following lobbying efforts for an assessment of Maldives’ alleged violations of the organisation’s principles with the imprisonment of opposition politicians, including former President Mohamed Nasheed.

PPM conditions development on by-election win

MDP MP appeals for Indian pressure to release Nasheed

Horns and megaphones banned in parliament chamber

Government promises jobs to Maldivians in new Thilafushi port

PPM signals support for reappointing Supreme Court bench

MP Nihan claims “no gangs in Maldives” remarks misinterpreted

MP Nihan elected chair of budget review committee