Government using constitution on selective basis: Yameen
22 Jan 2012, 1:29 PM
Ahmed Naish and Eleanor Johnstone
The government is selectively announcing that the Constitution is in jeopardy, Mulaku MP Abdulla Yameen claimed yesterday during a press conference held by opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
Yameen, the half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, accused the government of using the Constitution according to its own needs and condemned President Mohamed Nasheed’s remark that the “constitution is at a standstill” as a “serious issue” and must be investigated.
Yameen added that the President does not have the constitutional authority to be involved in or enforce the judicial system.
However speaking yesterday at a rally held by ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), President Mohamed Nasheed said establishing justice and fairness through a modern and competent judiciary was “one of the main reasons MDP came out to change the government.”
Meanwhile, President Nasheed explained that the decision to take Judge Abdulla into military custody was not made “with the intention of causing misery or a loss to anyone” or “for the satisfaction of arresting a person.”
Nasheed also suggested that the democratic transition in South Korea had precedent of military intervention to assist the transition.
PPM announced that peaceful protests against the “abduction” will continue, but urged protestors not to engage in violent or destructive acts, local media reports.
According to local media, PPM yesterday consulted lawyers to file the issue in court.