Parliament votes against no confidence motion against Ameen

The parliament, which the ruling party, People's National Congress, holds super majority of, has quashed the no confidence motion initiated by opposition, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), against Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen.

The motion was submitted with 12 signatures from MDP MPs. However, only 11 voted in favour of the motion during Thursday's vote. 54 PNC MPs voted against it.

MDP's move was prompted following an incident on April 18 where 21 year old Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed was found fallen onto the roof of a warehouse from H. Fentenoy. In the motion, MDP claimed that Ameen had influenced the investigation.

Ameen denied the allegations, and said he has no connection to the case and sees no reason why he should step down as minister.

According to the no confidence motion the case involves Ameen's relatives and a drug fueled party was held at Ameen's residence, Ma. Maadhooge Dhekunuge.

However, police had initially concealed this information, along with that of a search operation carried out at the premises, the motion further read, adding that this suggests Ameen had influenced police to protect his relatives from a criminal conviction.

The opposition branded this as a misuse of and an illegal use of Ameen's power as a minister for his personal gain and interest.

In response, Ameen denied even the smallest involvement in the case, and criticized the opposition for not detailing what influence he specifically exerted.

He also said that although police had previously revealed a group had gone to his residence, the property is co-owned by him and three of his siblings. Ameen went onto say that it did not make sense for him to take the blame for an incident that took place in a property that is owned by multiple people.

Following Yumnu's fall and the subsequent public outrage which evolved into nightly protests outside Henveiru Police Station calling for Ameen's resignation among other demands, Izdhiyan Mohamed Maumoon, who is related to Ameen, was suspended from his position as Under Secretary at the President's Office.

Even if two of his nephews are connected to the case for the sake of argument, they are both adults who should take responsibility for their own actions, Ameen said.

"[They] are not my children. Not even my wife, nor my parents or people I am responsible for," Ameen said.