“It is very easy to come and talk to me”: President Yameen on PPM split

“Our party was set up with a sacred purpose. It was set up to promote the values of peace and order, and to set an example to our citizens. These noble values are included in our party’s charter. I want to tell our party members that it is I who is most unsettled by the turmoil within our party. I also want to say that I firmly believe our problems can be solved through dialogue within the party, through the procedures set within the party. That is how we can become a stronger party, and a model to others. All of the party’s members must have the ability, the will and the courage to do so. We must be able to demonstrate this to the general public, the party’s members, and leaders and members of other political parties and anyone who is interested in joining a political party. There is no reason to hesitate in doing this.

We were able to turn this party into a political platform and assume power because of the trust the people have put in us. It is an honour that Allah has granted us. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of the leaders and members in our party to demonstrate these principles, of peace, progress and development. There must be no difference in bearing this responsibility. The basis of this party, the members, each member is an important member who we trust. So we must be able to solve the problems between us.

When the president of our party was the president of the Maldives, he encouraged us and gave us the opportunity to speak freely. That door started opening and now it has been thrown wide open. The phrase he used at the time was to “crack open the egg and come out”. Our youth and all classes of people have cracked that egg and have come out. So, in any president’s administration, people will say what they think. The People’s Majlis is where we see that in practice everyday. The People’s Majlis is the highest and dignified assembly. Because it comprises of the people’s representatives. It is where laws are made to promote our interests, to lighten the people’s burden and everything to run a state. There is no higher assembly. How do we act in Majlis? If there is something that we do not agree with – I say we because I can still taste it, since I served there for more than 19 years. If there is something that we do not agree with, we leave the Majlis. We know there will be a session, a meeting the next day. We’ve cracked the egg and come out as well. We must have the same patience in our party. If there are matters we don’t agree with, whether its often or rarely, there will be people who will leave the party meeting. That’s a reality that we have to now accept. That is democracy. [Walking out] does not in any way mean disrespect to our honourable president. If there are things that members don’t agree with, [walking out] is a right they have. That is not a reason to stop having a second or a third council meeting. We’ve done a lot of work, you will remember me saying on Eid that I didn’t want to give an Eid gift to MDP, that division within our party is the biggest gift to MDP and everyone against our ideology. So we must resolve these matters.