Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Political parties-The Maldivian way

Maldives, probably, is the country with the highest number of political parties per its peoples. Let's continue with a brief introduction.

The liberals
In the season of siphoning off unknown victims to the party memberships (since it eligible more state funding), they somehow have managed to induct a man who was jailed for life (and serving it for last 10 years). Unknown to him the liberals have forged his finger prints, signature, national ID card and a membership form making him a liberal. The victim when realized what had happened - sued then the current leader of the party for defamation and fraud. Only to his surprise there doesn’t exist a leader in the first place. The ‘leader’ appears only in public rallies, nationally televised interviews and presidential (also parliamentary) elections then he vanishes to thin air especially if summoned to a criminal court.

The democrats
The self-proclaimed inventors of Maldivian democracy had their first elected leader barricaded from Council meetings and then made him step-down from the leadership. Then in their next election they elected the man (the one that they marooned most) as their first democratically elected leader.
Unbeknownst to him becoming a leader is not enough to get the party ticket as presidential candidate. He still had to fight in another election in which he was beaten to pulps by the popular candidate (the prodigal son of the democracy).
To make it even worse the leader was effectively sacked by a council vote and made the vice-president as the de facto leader (since he sworn his absolute allegiance to the new presidential candidate) - which the vice president is enjoying even until now. The name of a new congress comes and goes like a breeze.
And I don’t want start on their parliamentary leader.  Just no.

The peoples
The irony of the peoples is that there were no peoples to begin with there was only a leader, The One destined to lead and rule-The One who speaks the absolute truth and The One who cannot falter. No one is above him, no one can question his authority. You can follow or fall down the pits.
After a major hiatus then an embarrassing defeat in election. He resigned from active politics but not before naming his successor. The successor is another one- The One who is destined to lead and rule. It doesn’t actually matter what people think (no, the peoples simply cannot think beyond The Wise One, can they?)

The guiders
The guiders never wanted to rule. They are selfless, humble and pious hermits calling for a better Maldives by laying out the right paths. Unfortunately they could not win any major positions in politics in that way.
They resorted to other means. The wealthy presidential candidate seemed very tempting- they rallied and pampered him like no other. But ministry portfolios are more appealing. Therefor it’s no biggie to abandon the former and go after the new toy. But they are still not above throwing tantrums time to time especially if they couldn’t have their own way with it.
They infamously blamed everyone for all wrongs in the Maldives stating that it’s the price Maldivians should pay not electing them to the rightful places. Yes, the rightful places!!


to be continued

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

now i know how he got the woods and votes.

Skimming the Haveeru News, I stumbled on this piece of news.

The Mp for Komandoo constituency, Mr Hussain Waheed is ordered by the court to pay $478,745. Apparently he has bought 60% Satin Wood Pvt Ltd and ceased paying the original owner for some undisclosed reasons.

After reading this very article, a small incident happen to cross my mind.
Nearly seven years ago, I visited some of my relatives in Sh atoll. Back then Mr Waheed was the newly elected parliamentarian for the atoll, who in turn kicked the former parliamentarian named Ahmed Abdulla out of the seat (which Ahmed Abdulla enjoyed for very comfortable three consecutive terms with out uttering a single word in the parliament). I, for one, was very impressed that the people has started showing signs of being politically 'literate'.

When I had the chance to mingle with the folks of the island and when the topic naturally fell to politics. I asked this middle aged man, what made them vote for Hussain Waheed instead of Ahmed Abdulla.
The answer was simple and logical -at least for them. But it did brush away my idea of - people being 'literate' in politics or exercising their right of voting.

The man without much thinking or whatsoever told me that Ibrahim Waheed provided woods(and some construction materials for the island school). The reason was enough for them to vote him.

And now i know where and how he got the woods, island folk's vote and mrf 62000 per month to enjoy.