Yameen Dismisses Nasheed's Claims as Nonsense

Opposition leader, former President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayyoom, has stated that the ability to read and write should no longer be sufficient to qualify someone for the position of the President or a Member of the Majlis.

He said this addressing a crowd of supporters that had gathered at an event organised to campaign for the "India Out" movement in Mahibadhoo (Alifu Dhaalu Atoll).

In his address, he responded to Majlis Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's comments urging Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) members to refrain from participating in the "India Out" movement, and that the movement posed a threat to the Maldives.

The former President said that he was "astonished" that Speaker Nasheed thought that any PPM member would accept anything that he had to say. He said that it was for reasons like this that he said that the ability to read and write should no longer be sufficient to qualify someone for the position of the President or a Member of the Majlis; he pointed out that Speaker Nasheed had once been President of the Maldives.

He had also dismissed Speaker Nasheed's comments about how the "India Out" movement posed a threat to the nation as "nonsense".

Former President Yameen said that the Constitution's requirements for any candidate for the Presidency should be amended and made up-to-date.

He pointed out that although the Majlis enjoyed an MDP majority, its parliamentarians were not working in service of the people. He said that the Constitution should be amended to require a public referendum if the requirements for the Presidency or the Majlis were to be altered.