Ruling coalition strong despite lawmakers shifting sides: Minister

Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Mohamed Shainee stated that despite the loss to the state caused by the dismissal of government coalition lawmakers, the ruling coalition remains strong together.

Speaking on the “News Talk” show aired on local television Channel 13, Minister Shainee said that parliament members are shifting sides from the ruling coalition to the opposition only for short-term benefits, declaring that there is no valid reason to change loyalty.

To prove his point, Shainee raised a rhetoric question as to whether President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has not provided any development to the constituency of lawmaker Saud Hussain, who recently shifted from President Yameen's faction of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to that of PPM's ousted leader, Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who is now working with the opposition coalition.

Saud, who had backed President Yameen at the time of internal political turmoil within PPM, explained that he changed sides due to the numerous injustices recently done to Former President Maumoon.

“President Yameen is trying to bring development to all parts of the country and no lawmaker can deny that,” said Minister Shainee.

He reiterated that the ruling coalition remains strong despite a few lawmakers shifting sides, claiming that more members from the opposition will join the ruling party PPM in the days to come.

Criticizing the opposition's reform movement, Shainee said that opposition leaders are aware that they will not succeed and are, therefore, trying to bring about only destruction.

“Our citizens believe that President Yameen deserves one more tenure to complete the development he has brought about which is incomparable to the past 35 years.”

“Everyone wants the reign for themselves. One wants it for his son while another wants to experience the sweetness of it before his last breath, and the other wants it because he failed the first time," said Shainee as he criticized the opposition top officials, referring to Former President Maumoon, Jumhoory Party leader Qasim Ibrahim and Former President Mohamed Nasheed respectively.

"And so all of them are banding together to overthrow the government. The public wouldn’t vote for any of them."

Shainee further remarked that the opposition coalition would break once they have to appoint a candidate for the Presidential Elections 2018.