The Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis and Member for Dhiggaru Constituency, Ahmed Nazim, has stated that if the People’s Majlis becomes a marketplace for buying and selling, the development we are trying to achieve cannot be realized.
Speaking during today’s debate on the proposed amendments to the Constitution, Nazim said that this bill is very important. He stated that today’s opportunity is a chance to address three very important matters.
“The first is to change it so that if there is any change to what is defined as our maritime territory, it can only be done with the approval of the People’s Majlis. This is something tied to nationality, economy, and blood,” Nazim said.
He said the other amendment is related to the loss of Majlis members’ seats. Looking at the background, Nazim stated that the Anti-Defection Law passed by the previous Majlis is not a law that has been given constitutional oversight. He said that law can be described as a toothless giant. The reason, he explained, is that while the Constitution specifies the conditions under which a Majlis seat can be lost, the law exists in a way that doesn’t match any of those conditions. Nazim said that the law has not been given constitutional protection.
“If we are to take the country to a better place than it is now, we need to establish trust and confidence within the Majlis. If the Majlis becomes a marketplace for buying and selling, the development we’re trying to achieve cannot be realized,” Nazim said.
Nazim has stated that after being elected to the Majlis on a party ticket supporting a particular president, one should remain with that party. He noted that we have seen in the past how a single member’s action has changed the outcome of a vote in the Majlis.
