Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that if an election is not held this year, it will be difficult to hold an election in the Maldives in the future.
Speaking near Medhu Ziyaaraiy yesterday, as part of the MDP protest held to mark Labor Day, President Nasheed said that MDP supports an early election because every day that passes without an election, is an extra day that ‘traitors’ rule the country and attempt to prolong their government. An early election is required to end their rule and restore democracy for the Maldivian people.
“I want an election to be held in 2012, because otherwise, it might be difficult to hold an election in the Maldives,” Nasheed said.
As usual, Nasheed said last night also that the nation was ‘sold’ by Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, Commissioner of Police Abdullah Riyaz, and Chief of Defence Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam, who he accused of ‘taking bribes’. He said that the traitor leaders’ rule will end bitterly, and that Nazim and Riyaz will be arrested.
“Traitor Nazim and Riyaz will be arrested. We will do that. Don’t you worry about that; Police and Defence will do that for us,” Nasheed said.
Referring to the issue of withdrawal of Maldives from Commonwealth, Nasheed said that withdrawal from any international organisation would hurt Maldivian people. Nasheed said that an MDP government would increase the salaries of teachers and nurses, and that they had previously made efforts to provide accommodation for defence forces and teachers.
“Our main target was to establish a minimum wage of Rf4000 this year,” Nasheed said.
When Nasheed was President, he repeatedly said that civil servants cannot be reimbursed their deducted salaries, and that civil servants’ salaries cannot be increased. He said that the state funds were not enough to do that.
Nasheed said that he was sad to be away from his wife and children, however, he would not hesitate in his services even for one second.
Nasheed referred to Vice President Waheeddeen (Deen) and called him ‘traitor Waheeddeen’. Nasheed said, “I told him when I met him last night, that it is rather low quality behavior, to have taken over the post of Vice President without the consent of the people.”
A large crowd was gathered near Medhu Ziyaaraiy for yesterday’s rally. Police had blocked the road in front of Medhu Ziyaaraiy. No confrontations took place.
MDP ended yesterday’s protest at around 12:00.