Addu-Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam on Wednesday accused opposition lawmakers of submitting emergency motions to criticise the government rather than achieve any goals.
Members of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People's National Congress (PNC) have been submitting an increased number of emergency motions on various issues. However, as the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) uses the party whip to get their majority MPs to vote against them, very few of these issues get debated.
Madduvaree MP Adam Shareef had submitted an emergency motion on Wednesday as well regarding missing people, but MDP kicked the issue out.
During a subsequent debate on another issue, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam expressed concern about the parliament rejecting the motions submitted by the opposition. Rozaina explained the reason for expelling the cases, saying that if the issue was intended to achieve a real solution, it should be submitted to the committee formed to deal with it.
Speaker Nasheed interrupted Rozaina's speech, noting that it was not the appropriate time to discuss emergency issues. He said that if needed, they could vote, and then go ahead with the debate.
Rozaina responded by saying that she had discussed the matter of missing persons with 241 committee chair and Hithadhoo North MP Mohamed Aslam, and Aslam had confirmed that the committee would proceed with the work.
She said that everyone can share their concerns with the chair of each committee and take it forward in the committee.
Rozaina also explained that every lawmaker should know which issues are likely to achieve results by submitting them to committees, the parliament, or through sudden motions.
"Every morning, an emergency case is filed to criticise the government in various ways regarding the issue and then just end it there without proceeding forward. This had no results. Results will yield when things are presented in a manner that will create results," she said, warning the opposition MPs.
She noted that a resolution submitted to the parliament is forwarded to the committee, but an emergency motion is not. These issues can be carried forward by the committees, which can summon the police and investigate them further.
"I also know that as an opposition party, you will have to create an opportunity to criticise the government. But since we also belong to the government, we do it in such a way that we can be held accountable," Rozaina said.
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