Alhan Fahmy, MP for Feydhoo constituency and Vice President of ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has said today that his party would not allow the establishment of an Islamic university in the Maldives.
Speaking during debate time on the Islamic university bill proposed on parliament by Dr. Afrasheem Ali, MP for Ungoofaaru constituency, Alhan accused Dr. Afrasheem of proposing the bill with a political agenda, though Alhan did not say a word to explain how the bill had a political agenda behind it. Alhan said that Islamic education could be delivered through the framework of the Maldives National University, and that an Islamic university would not be allowed on Maldivian soil.
“The government is prepared to support Islamic education through the Maldives National University, but there is no place for such a university (as Dr. Afrasheem’s bill suggested). I am saying this very clearly; we will not tolerate an Islamic university here. MDP government would not support this”, Alhan said.
MPs belonging to MDP followed Alhan, by stating in today’s parliamentary session that any Islamic education institute should be incorporated into the Maldives National University as a faculty, and they called on the Speaker to reject the bill outright. Many members asked Dr. Afrasheem to withdraw the bill. However, one MP from MDP, Musthafaa, MP for Thimarafushi constituency, supported the bill and called upon his party to do the same too.
“Thimarafushi” Musthafa said that the Maldives, being an Islamic country, should have an Islamic university, and he also said that the bill was proposed with the presumption that the government would jump to reject it, and that it was one reason why his party should embrace it. Also, Musthafa requested MDP parliamentary group president to allow party members to vote on the bill as they pleased.