Report: Soodh
Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed has said that the decision of Dr. Hassan Saeed, ex Attorney General to challenge President Maumoon in the forthcoming presidential election does not raise any serious threats to Prsident’s Maumoon’s campaign. Minister Nasheed made the statement in an interview given to a private radio service The FM.
Dr. Hassan Saeed in an interview to The Independent, a tabloid newspaper of UK, has said that he will stand for presidential elections scheduled next year. Many political analysts believe that it might be serious threat to President Maumoon’s bid to win another term in office.
Information Minister Nasheed speaking on The FM said that it is the right of any citizen who full fills the pre requisites stipulated in the Constitution to compete in the elections and that any one exercising that right cannot be considered a threat to President Maumoon. Nasheed however did not agree with some of the statements made by Dr. Hassan Saeed to The Independent.
“Some of things Dr. Hassan Saeed said are not quite true, we are not happy that the sources who published this information as they did not obtain government views, government is considering in informing these sources the facts concerning Dr. Hassan Saeed’s comments” said Information Minister.
Dr. Hassan Saeed had claimed that the actual architects of the president’s reform agenda was ex Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel, ex Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed and himself and that with their resignation reform agenda had failed.
Information Minister Nasheed rejects the claims by saying that it would be a mistake to believe that the trio was the main architects.
Nasheed pointed out that reform agenda was initiated by President Maumoon in 2003, following the death of convict Evan Naseem in Maafushi Jail. Nasheed said the reform agenda initiated with Presidents consultation with the public between period that followed Evan’s death and the Presidential elections that was held soon afterward.
Information Minister said that even in the victory speech given by President Maumoon on wining the presidency in 2003, President Maumoon had outlined his intention to bring reform to five areas of the government. Dr.Hassan Saeed joined the cabinet that was formed immediately after President’s victory in 2003 noted Nasheed. Nasheed further pointed out that Dr. Shaheed and Jameel joined the cabinet approximately a year and a half later.
“This is President Maumoon’s vision, Abdulla Shahid, current Foreign Minister who was then the president’s executive secretary, worked closely with president in formulating the reform agenda” said Nasheed.
Nasheed admitted that the trio had worked on some important areas of the reform agenda but pointed that they were only doing their job during their time in office.
Speaking on BBC, Dr. Hassan Saeed has said that President Maumoon is taking action on the growing Islamic extremism in the country without considering the origins and the reasons for the extremism. Dr. Hassan claimed that he presented the President with an action plan compiled by him on tackling the issue of extremism and that the government failed to implement the action plan.
Minister Nasheed speaking on The FM said that action plan was not Dr. Hassan’s brain child.
“Dr. Hassan Saeed was the Chair of a Committee formed by the President Maumoon to tackle issues arising out of differences in religious opinion and to protect the religious unity of the country; the committee presented their views in the form of an action plan; it includes measures that requires long term planning, measures that can be implemented in the near future, and measures that can be implemented immediately; religion is a very delicate issue in Maldives and such it requires prudence and patience “ said Nasheed.
Minister Nasheed also pointed out although the Committee chaired by Dr. Hassan Saeed submitted an action plan; the government is not required to act upon it immediately.
Growing religious extremism in the country is not Dr. Hassan Saeed’s concern only, it is a challenge faced by the government as well as the whole country, the government will take necessary steps to tackle the issue said Information Minister Naheed.
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